


Pearlmethyst Fic Collection

by rowanthefierce



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Baby Dragon, Biking, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Drunken Confessions, F/F, Fluff, Holding Hands, Protectiveness, Road Trips, Sleepy Cuddles, Sunsets, Tip-toe Kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2018-03-31 09:31:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 23,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3972925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowanthefierce/pseuds/rowanthefierce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of all the noncontinuous Pearlmethyst ficlets I've written. The majority of these are based on prompt requests, others I wrote in my spare time. Enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

25\. “I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

* * *

“I can’t believe you talked me into this.” Pearl glared up at the towering piles of junk surrounding her and Amethyst. “Or that you decided to finally clean your room.”

“The only reason I’m doing this is because I lost an artifact of Garnet’s in here. If she finds out, she’ll kill me,” explained Amethyst, crossing her arms. “I need you to find it.”

“You’ll have to help me here,” said Pearl, putting a hand to her chin. “Is there any kind of organizing system? For instance, are things in this junk pile older than the ones in this pile?”

“I dunno,” Amethyst said, shrugging. “I kinda just toss it in here and whatever happens, happens.”

“Uhhhgh,” sounded out Pearl. “All right. Let’s see if we can minimize the time needed here to find this…artifact of yours.”

“It’s Garnet’s.”

Pearl stepped over a small rivulet and began to pick through the nearest pile. “Hmm. Do you know what this artifact looks like?”

“Small. Square-ish. And…blue?”

“That narrows it down to—not much.” Pearl picked up a cubical item and examined it. “Multicolored. No good.”

She gently set the Rubik’s cube back down and moved through the piles. Amethyst trailed behind her, occasionally picking something out of the pile and fiddling with it. Pearl stopped after a few minutes and turned around.

“If you’re going to just follow me around,” she said, “at least be looking, too!”

“I _am_ looking,” insisted Amethyst. She squinted off into the distance suddenly, catching Pearl’s attention.

“What is it?” asked the taller gem.

Amethyst didn’t answer and instead summoned her weapon. With a practiced aim she snapped it right past Pearl’s cheek and to the top of a nearby trash heap. The whip coiled around a small, box-like thing and snaked back. Amethyst caught it in her hand and tossed her whip to one side.

“Is that it?” asked Pearl. “I know there are many more possibilities of it being something else but it’s small, square, and a faint blue color.”

“Nah,” said Amethyst. “This is my box of seaglass.”

“Seaglass?” echoed Pearl.

“Yeah. Steven gives it to me. He finds it on the beach. Says it’s polished glass made pretty by the stone. I keep it around because it looks nice. See?” Amethyst opened the box up. Inside there was a variety of shades of the seaglass.

Pearl frowned. “So it’s _not_ what we’re looking for.”

“Yeah,” said Amethyst, closing the box again. “But, y’know, on a second thought…I think I left it back in the house.”

Pearl’s face was a mixture of exasperation and anger. “Amethyst…you really have to keep track of where you leave your things.”

“Hey, at least I found this seaglass! Steven’s been telling me that he’s found some more to add to the collection. I better go give this to him,” exclaimed the purple gem. She grinned. “Thanks for your help, Pearl!”

“You’re welcome,” said Pearl flatly.

The other gem disappeared into the canyons of junk. As Pearl turned around, she heard, faintly:

“Don’t touch my other stuff!!”

“I won’t,” promised Pearl. She looked at the room around her. “It’d take me years to sort through all of this, anyway.”


	2. Chapter 2

44\. “If you die, I’m gonna kill you.”

* * *

 

“If you die, I’m gonna kill you,” murmured Amethyst, holding the gemstone in the palm of her hand. “Hold on, Pearl. Just wait.”

The crack running down the side of the gemstone brought a pang to the purple’s gem heart, but she fought back her tense emotions, teeth grinding against each other, and clenched the gemstone against her chest.

“We have to get to the fountain before the crack spreads,” urged Garnet, jumping onto the warp pad.

Amethyst joined her. “What do we tell Steven?”

“We tell him something went wrong and Pearl will be back…soon.”

The glow of the warp pad’s activation surrounded the two gems as they entered the warp streams. Seconds later they found themselves standing in Rose’s garden. The brambles were gone, and Rose’s fountain was standing in the center of the sanctum like a beacon of healing. Amethyst ran past Garnet and towards the fountain. At the edge of the fountain she paused and looked down at her reflection in the water. To her surprise, tears were running down her cheeks and dropping gently off her chin into the calm waters.

Without hesitation she put Pearl’s gemstone underwater, watching with shining eyes as the healing powers slowly worked their magic. The cool waters lapped at Amethyst’s arms until the sensation became rhythmical. At last, she lifted the gem out of the water. The crack was gone. The surface was untainted and smooth again.

Garnet came up behind Amethyst and put a hand on the purple gem’s shoulder. “Now we wait.”

* * *

Amethyst sat next to the little basket Steven had set up again for Pearl. She tapped her fingers against the counter’s surface, humming quietly. It was a thing she did when no one was around—music soothed Amethyst when she was stressed.

“C’mon, Pearl,” she whispered to the gem, pausing from her humming. “It’s been two weeks. Just like last time. I know you cracked your gemstone but—”

The purple gem slumped forward onto the counter and propped her head up with the palm of her hand. “Please, Pearl?”

As if on cue, Pearl’s gem began to radiate pale blue light. Amethyst’s face lit up both metaphorically and literally.

The gem floated into the air as Pearl’s formed started to manifest around it. Six metamorphoses later, the newest Pearl appeared. There was a headband just above her gemstone and her leggings had become full on pale salmon pants.

“PEARL!” exclaimed Amethyst. “I mean—uh—welcome back.”

Pearl landed gracefully on the kitchen counter and ducked down to avoid hitting her head against the beams. “Thank you, Amethyst.”

“Yeah—uh—no problem,” said Amethyst, trying to keep a straight face.

“Where is everyone else?”

“Out.”

The slender gem stepped off the counter. “Were you with me this whole time?”

“Yeah…” Amethyst shrugged, trying to play it off nonchalantly. “I guess I kinda missed you.”

“You did?”

Amethyst nodded.

“Oh…” Pearl leaned across the counter. “Thank you for staying with me.”

“I didn’t want to lose you, I guess,” said Amethyst, sliding her eyes down.

Pearl placed the gentlest kiss on Amethyst’s forehead. “You have a lot more heart than you give yourself credit for.”

Amethyst flushed dark violet. “Aw, geez, Pearl…”

Garnet’s door in the temple opened. She stepped out, looked at the two other Crystal Gems, and then returned to her room.


	3. Chapter 3

1\. “Come over here and make me.”

* * *

“Come over here and make me,” snapped Amethyst.

“AMETHYST!” shouted Pearl, clutching her head. “Be CAREFUL WITH THAT!”

“What? You think I’m gonna drop it? You’re just worried about me—as usual!” growled Amethyst, holding the gem artifact a little higher up. “Why can’t you just let me do what I do? I’m not as immature as you think I am!”

“That is a _rare and valuable artifact you are holding do not drop it._ ”

“I told you I got this!” Amethyst pulled her arm closer to herself and pressed the artifact against her chest. “I was just messing with you—there’s no _way_ I would be so _stupid_ as to let an artifact be destroyed that _carelessly_ —”

“—judging by your past behavior I’m more than willing to assume that sort of thing from _you!_ ”

“You don’t know a thing about me!”

“Oh, I don’t? Well—you have no idea what _I’ve_ experienced, either!”

“Don’t make this about yourself!”

“I was attempting to balance this _ridiculous_ argument we’re having—PUT THAT ARTIFACT DOWN—”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing—Amethyst—just set it down—right now—I’ll take it from you—” Pearl reached for the object clutched in Amethyst’s hand and tried to pry it away from her.

“Look at you! You’re just as bad as you say _I_ am.” Amethyst tried to yank the artifact away and her hand accidentally intertwined with Pearl’s.

Both gems froze. Pearl opened her mouth to say something but Amethyst got there first.

“Are you gonna let go of my hand?”

“Are you?”

Neither responded. Amethyst tightened her grip on the artifact, eyes locked on Pearl’s, but the latter made no move to take the item away.

“Maybe—uh—I can set the artifact down if that’s what you’re waiting for—” the purple gem said.

“Give it to me,” said Pearl, but not unkindly.

Amethyst allowed the artifact to be taken out of her hand and set—very cautiously—on the counter. Their hands were still interlocked.

“Are you—do you—what I’m trying to say is—” began Pearl but Amethyst pulled her in for a kiss.

When they—finally—broke apart—all Pearl could say was:

“How long have you wanted to do that?”

“You need to stop prattling on about things sometimes,” Amethyst answered.

“Oh.”

At least the artifact was secure.


	4. Chapter 4

17\. “Looks like we’ll be trapped here for a while…”

* * *

 

“Looks like we’ll be trapped here for a while…” said Pearl.

“Until Garnet can find us,” Amethyst tacked on, looking around. The two gems were enclosed in a caved-in section of an old tunnel they had been exploring. Something akin to an earthquake had occurred and now they were stuck inside, waiting for Garnet.

“Garnet could be anywhere!” Pearl said. “She might not even know we’re imprisoned here!”

“You make it sound like such a bad thing.” Amethyst sat down on a rock. “I kind of like it.”

“Maybe there’s an alternate way out that doesn’t involve punching through solid rock.” Pearl examined the wall, looking for cracks and fissures that could be exploited.

Amethyst sighed and kicked her legs against the boulder. “That’s gonna take forever.”

“Well, I want to do something _productive_ with my time, unlike somebody else…”

“Hey—I’m doing something! I’m waiting.”

“That’s nothing important,” snapped Pearl. She jumped over a pile of loose rubble and peered into a tiny tunnel. “We could potentially fit through here.”

“And what if we get stuck?”

“Well—I—we’d figure something out.” Pearl stuck her arm inside the hole. “I can’t feel an end to it.”

“Don’t let anything bite you,” muttered Amethyst.

“Thank you for your concern.” Pearl moved on.

Amethyst spun herself around to watch Pearl. “Are you gonna do this the entire time?”

“If you want to help, I’d appreciate it; you are, after all, why we’re stuck in here.”

“It’s _my_ fault we’re here? You were the one not paying attention and blabbering on about safety and then you went and caused a cave-in!”

“I was trying to tell you to watch out for any monsters or potential traps! And _you_ ignored me!” Pearl put her hands on her hips. “In fact, I’m almost certain you stepped on a pressure plate of some design!”

“Why do you feel the need to correct me all the time?  I’m not as immature as you think I am!”

“I didn’t say you’re immature—I said you just need to pay more attention and be cognizant of your surroundings!”

“I don’t need you telling me what to do!”

“I just want what’s best for you!” Pearl said.

“I can take care of myself!”

“You need someone to guide you!”

“Do you really care about me?”

“Of course! I love you!” Pearl exclaimed, and then froze.

“You what?”

“I—erm—”

“You…love…me??”

“Yeus?”

Amethyst stared straight ahead. “Is that why you’re always bothering me?”

“I—”

“You have a terrible way of communicating your feelings.”

“Was I too harsh?”

The purple gem shrugged. “Your usual level.”

“Oh.”

“For the record,” said Amethyst, looking at the ground, “I kind of like you too.”

Pearl’s blue blush appeared across her cheeks. “You do?”

“I mean, you’re annoying, overbearing, uptight, a perfectionistic and you dislike everything I like…but yeah.”

Pearl was about to say something when the front of the cave exploded. Garnet stood in the entryway, gauntlets summoned.

“Did I miss anything?” she asked.

Pearl and Amethyst exchanged a glance and said, simultaneously: “No.”


	5. Chapter 5

14\. "Hey, I'm with you, okay? Always."

* * *

 

“Hey, I’m with you, okay? Always,” said Amethyst, crouching down next to Pearl. “I’ll be here for you.”

Pearl looked up from her stare at the ground. “I nearly killed all of us with a small miscalculation. How could you want to be on my side?”

“We’re still alive, right?”

“Yes, we’re still alive…but I almost killed all of the people I care for most.”

“But you didn’t.”

“How can this be making anything better? Aren’t you and Garnet—upset?”

“I don’t know what’s Garnet thinking half the time…but I’m not upset.” Amethyst sat down and put her hands on the ground beside her. “I’m just happy I’m still here.”

Pearl unfolded her knees and criss-crossed her legs instead. “Oh. These things do happen. I know you make a lot of the same mistakes—” She froze. “—I mean, you—tend to—put us—in…dangerous situations?”

Amethyst frowned at her. “Look, I know you’re having an off day, Pearl, and I’ll let it slide, but to be fair, all of us make danger for each other. And we help each other out. That’s how we work. If one person messes up, the others can work to fix it.”

“I know—I just…”

“This isn’t your first time messing up, either.”

Pearl glanced aside. “Yes.”

“You guys were nice to me when I messed up for the first time. I thought you were going to—send me away or something like that. And you didn’t.”

“We wanted to give you a second chance,” said Pearl.

“Yeah. You did. And I’m trying to make myself better. It’s really hard.” Amethyst scuffed at the ground. “I guess what I’m trying to say is…give yourself a second chance? You’re really a perfectionistic and it’s not that good for you sometimes.”

“Give myself a second chance?”

“Garnet’s probably already thought this over and decided it’s best to leave the past in the past. And I don’t want you to worry so much. We’re a team. We need you. So, hey, maybe ease up on yourself?”

Pearl blinked. “Maybe I _am_ being too hard on myself.”

Amethyst nudged her, smiling. “I’ll be here if you need me. Always. Okay?”

“Thank you.”


	6. Chapter 6

40\. “Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?”

* * *

 

“They said they’d be here already,” grumbled Amethyst, glancing at the time on her phone.

“There must be traffic.” Pearl buttoned the top three buttons of her sweater vest. “It’s rush hour, anyway.”

“But they’re nearly forty minutes behind!”

“I can drive you home…if you want…” offered Pearl.

“I live way too far from you. It’s a waste of gas.”

“Just putting it out there in case this goes too far.”

Amethyst pulled a pack of gum from her back pocket and stuck two pieces in her mouth. “It’s gettin’ kinda cold out.”

“True.” Pearl looked back at the lobby. “We could go and sit inside the lobby.”

“You didn’t let me finish. I _like_ the cold.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.” Amethyst blew and popped a bubble. “At least with winter you can dress in layers. Summertime, you have to get naked to get cool.”

Pearl was quiet for a long time. “That’s—an interesting take on it.”

“Yeh.” Amethyst stuck her hands in her pockets.

The conversation withered like an unwatered plant. The two students stood in semiawkward silence, neither too willing to give sustenance to small talk.

“How was your day today?” Pearl asked after several minutes.

“Good.” Amethyst shrugged. “The usual.”

“Nothing extraordinary happened?”

“Nope.” She paused. “Although…”

“What?”

“Okay. Hear me out. Today in zoology some kid was handling the leopard gecko our teacher had brought in for the lesson and—”

“Did they hurt the gecko?” interjected Pearl, concern flashing through her eyes.

“No no no. He didn’t. It’s fine. But anyway—he was holding the gecko and—and—” Amethyst started giggling, “—and it—it went and—he was talking shit about geckos for some reason…but—” The giggles transitioned into straight-up laughter.

“What did the gecko do?” Pearl asked, knitting her brow together. “I’m concerned.”

“It—the gecko— _pooped_ on him. All over his hands. One moment he was—was bad-mouthing lizards and then—he had to wash his hands—” Amethyst doubled over and accidentally choked on her gum before recovering.

Pearl thought Amethyst’s story over before letting a tiny smile grace her mouth. “That is—rather amusing considering his attitude—”

Amethyst opened her mouth and grinned. “Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me? I’ve never seen you smile for one of my stories.”

“I mean—given the circumstances—the untimely defecation of the animal is laugh-worthy…” Pearl said.

“It sure is.” Amethyst’s phone buzzed. There was a text that read: **be there real soon!! srry.** “Looks like my ride’s arriving.”

“Just a few more minutes, then.”

“That’s what they said last time.”

“I can wait with you as long as you need.”

“Thanks.” Amethyst put one hand in her pocket and reached out for Pearl’s hand with the other. “Hold my hand.”

“Why?” asked Pearl, complying anyway.

“It’s cold.”

“You have pockets.”

“I know.” 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was an ordinary fic request and not based off any prompt list

Pearl requires comforting from Amethyst during a particularly bad storm.

* * *

“You want popcorn?” asked Amethyst, opening up the microwave. The aroma of buttered kernels wafted across the room, to where Pearl was curled up under a stack of pillows.

“No, thanks,” she said.

“Okay.” Amethyst pulled the steaming bag out and ripped it open. Heat billowed out and she eagerly grasped a handful, tossing it into her mouth.

“You’re going to burn yourself,” warned Pearl.

“Too late,” said Amethyst, scrunching up her face. “Still really good, though.”

“You of all people would do that.”

“Yeah.” The purple-haired girl flopped down next to her girlfriend. “At least it’s warmer than outside.”

Pearl glanced out the window. “True.”

Amethyst grabbed the remote with her non-buttery hand and turned the television on. “I wonder if anything good’s showing.”

“We could always play a board game,” suggested Pearl.

“Booo-ring,” scoffed Amethyst. A piece of popcorn fell past her mouth and she scooped it up in one deft move. “Haha. Reflexes.”

The weather report was playing. She made to change channels, but Pearl put a hand up, indicating she wanted to hear it.

“What? This stuff?” Amethyst asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Sh.”

The weather man pointed at a dark blue cloud gathering over their part of the country. “And as you can see—strong indications that there will be several thunderstorms and potentially even _hail_ in just a few hours—heavy winds are likely—”

Pearl’s expression grew worried. “Oh, dear…”

“What?”

“I’m not a huge fan of thunderstorms,” admitted Pearl, burying herself deeper into the pillows. There came a crash overhead and she jumped, grabbing hold of Amethyst’s hand and spilling a few pillows away.

“Sorry,” said Amethyst, squeezing Pearl’s hand. “Looks like there’s gonna be a lotta that.” She set the bag of popcorn down on the coffee table and scooted closer to the other. “C’mere.”

Amethyst pulled a thick woolen blanket over the pair of them, wrapped her arms around Pearl. “I’ve gotchu.”

“Thanks,” murmured Pearl, still holding onto Amethyst’s hand.

Rain and hail clattered against the roof, then another thunder clap.

“Lemme tell you a story about rain,” said Amethyst. “I guess it’ll take your mind off this storm. I mean, it might not but—eh. Whatever.”

“Go on.”

“Well…it was way back when in elementary school. And it was like an eighty percent chance of rain. And I didn’t bring my umbrella to school that day. So it was absolutely pouring during lunch and I got soaked even hiding under other people’s umbrellas. Then while walking home, I jumped into a puddle and you know how high it went?”

“How high?”

“To my waist and a little more!” Amethyst gestured. “I got really sick after that. But it was pretty funny. I stood in the puddle for at least a minute trying to get my bearings. Jumping into a miniature pool is really somethin’.”

Pearl laughed softly. “I’ve never had that experience.”

“I hope you don’t.”

Lightning flashed, illuminating the shadowy room. Pearl embraced Amethyst tightly; resting her forehead against the latter’s shoulder. Amethyst stroked Pearl’s hair, humming something Pearl would never listen to under her breath.

The storm lasted several hours. The entire time, Amethyst cuddled with Pearl, telling her story after story. Some were fictional, others true. By the time the clouds rolled away, both of them felt quite drowsy.

Amethyst grinned through a yawn. “So. How about a board game?”

“Not now,” said Pearl. “Sleep first.”

And sleep they did. The popcorn, abandoned, lay cold on the coffee table, kernels spilling across the finish. Someone would have to clean that up later. It would probably be Pearl.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a fic request and not based off any prompt list

Pearl is protective of Amethyst.

* * *

 _CRASH._ The monster’s fist descended only feet away from Amethyst, smashing a crater into the ground. Pearl grabbed the small purple gem under her arm and jumped out of the corrupted gem’s reach.

“Are you okay?” she asked Amethyst.

“Fine,” said the other gem. “I’m fine.”

“You’ve got to be more careful.” Pearl looked behind her and saw the monster charging through the undergrowth of the forest. “Don’t get too carried away.”

“I won’t.” Amethyst summoned her whip, and Pearl pulled a fourth spear from her gemstone. “Let’s just get back to fighting.”

Pearl leaped up into a tree to gain a better vantage point of the battlefield. In the distance Garnet battled another monster. Garnet could handle it. She had to focus on her own problem right now.

This was, unfortunately, Amethyst yet again. The headstrong gem was fighting as she usually did against the beast, but the corrupted gem was catching every one of her mistakes. Amethyst yelled something indiscernible and snapped the whip around the monster’s head. Pearl leaped down to assist her companion.

“I got it!” shouted Amethyst, tugging on her whip. “Just—gotta—finish—it off!”

The monster suddenly yanked its head back, pulling Amethyst up with it. Pearl flung her spear at the monster, piercing its hide. It growled and shook itself. The purple gem still tenaciously clinging to her whip soared through the air and hit a tree. Pearl grimaced.

“Let me handle it!” insisted Amethyst, throwing herself back into the fray.

“It’s adapting to our fighting styles,” explained Pearl, dodging a strike from their enemy. “We need to change it up.”

“My style’s always worked for me! I’m not changing it.”

Pearl sighed, summoned a spear, and sent it sailing towards the monster. This time it deflected it with a hand. “See,” said the white gem. “Adaptations.”

“Huh.” Amethyst squinted. “Yeah. Okay.”

“We should work on combining our attacks to throw it off guard,” suggested Pearl, moving Amethyst out of the way of another attack. “You first, then I’ll finish it.”

“ _I_ want to finish it!”

“Fine! Finish it,” said Pearl. “Let’s just take care of this gem and bubble it.”

She led the first attack, which the monster readily defended, but then Amethyst came in with a second attack, throwing the corrupted gem off guard. It made a perplexed growling noise and focused on Amethyst. Pearl moved next. Back and forth the two gems went, each landing a hit on the monster until Amethyst wrapped the whip around its midsection and squished it. The gemstone clattered to the ground.

Pearl and Amethyst reached for it simultaneously, their hands meeting over the stone. Pearl retracted her hand immediately, blushing.

“Oh,” said Amethyst, stone-faced but still a smidge flustered, “um, you want to bubble it?”

“No.” Pearl stepped back. “You do it. You finished it.”

“Okay.” The purple gem did so, the smooth lavender bubble floating in front of her. “Thanks…for…uh—the help.”

“Yes. We make a good team when we’re not—fighting…”

“Yeah.” Amethyst grinned. She sent the bubble back to the temple.

Pearl awkwardly held out her hand. “I—erm—do—you…?”

The other gem intertwined their hands together. “Yeah.” She chuckled. “I saw you blush. It’s okay.”

“ _You did too!_ ”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a fic request and not based off a prompt list

Amethyst gets things stuck in her hair; Pearl intervenes to clean it up.

* * *

 

 

“How on earth did you get this much— _junk_ —stuck in your hair?” Pearl asked, staring at Amethyst. “I just don’t understand it.”

“Hey,” said Amethyst, “I don’t get it either.”

Pearl held up her hands. “I’m going to fix this.”

“You’re what?”

The other girl went into the bathroom and returned with a pair of hairbrushes. Amethyst narrowed her eyes. “Why do you have _two_ hairbrushes?”

Pearl sat next to her. “This—” she held one up, “—is a _comb._ And this—” she held the other up, “—is a brush. I’m going to use both.”

“Why not just one?”

“There is a difference in the use,” explained Pearl, beginning to pick the leaves out of Amethyst’s hair. “First I’ll detangle it using the comb, and then brush through the rest.”

“Sounds overly complicated to me.”

“It’s easy, really.” Pearl tugged a small twig out of Amethyst’s hair. “How on _earth_ did that get in there?”

She set the stick down. Amethyst chuckled. “I dunno. Windy days are not my friends.”

“Obviously,” muttered Pearl. She picked up the comb. “This might hurt a little, okay?”

Amethyst crossed her arms. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

It was slow going at first. Pearl stopped every few strokes to work out a knot. Amethyst never complained, but Pearl knew from experience (on both the brushing and the being brushed end) that it probably hurt.

She set a leaf down in the growing pile sitting next to the twig on the coffee table and hummed an old melody.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have gone walking through the park,” mused Amethyst. “I mean, I went right past that huge leaf pile. Probably a bad idea.”

Pearl paused her humming. “Well, it’s all in the past now—”

“—please don’t start one of those lectures about past choices and regrets—”

“—I wasn’t going to—”

“— _yes you were_ —”

Pearl frowned at the back of Amethyst’s head. “All right. So what if I was. At least now I’m amending that.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t you like it when some brushes your hair?”

Amethyst held up a finger. “Actually, you’re using a comb, so no.”

The frown reappeared. “ _Amethyst._ ”

“Sorry. I had to.” She grinned, then added: “You almost done?”

“No.” Pearl worked through another knot. “I still have to _brush_ it.”

Amethyst rolled her eyes. “Uhgh.”

Pearl started to hum again, and Amethyst let go of her mild frustration. She propped her chin up on her palm and listened to her girlfriend make quiet music. It wasn’t so bad, after all.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was an ordinary fic request and not based off any prompt list.

Requester wanted fluffy Pearlmethyst.

* * *

 

“I had the _most awful_ day at work today,” groaned Amethyst, flopping down on the sofa. She tossed an arm over her forehead. “Some old guy chewed me out when I told him to have a nice day.”

“I’m sorry,” said Pearl, looking up from her manuscript. “Are you all right now?”

“Yeah. Just wiped.” Amethyst sighed and rolled over so that her face was pressed against the back of the sofa. “This thing smells like those candles you used to have.”

“Hmm,” said Pearl, smiling. She tapped her pencil against the desk and looked down at her writing. She had devoted four months already to it, and was only partway through it. If she could just finish, she could publish it and maybe get some money for rent and other commodities.

“Pearl?”

“Yes?”

“Can you make lasagna tonight? For dinner?”

“Sure. Just let me finish this page.”

There was a scuffling noise behind her. Pearl turned around to find Amethyst leaning over her shoulder, squinting at the manuscript.

“You’re not even three sentences into this!” she exclaimed.

“I know but I have a really great idea for this scene and I just—I just need to finish it.”

“You really have your hopes set on this thing.”

Pearl set down her pencil. “It does mean a lot to me.”

“But I mean a lot more to you, right?” asked Amethyst, bumping her nose against Pearl’s. “Right?”

“Yes, of course,” said Pearl.

Amethyst leaned a little further forward and kissed Pearl, wrapping one arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders. Pearl gently cupped Amethyst’s cheek.

When they finally broke apart, Pearl mumbled: “I’ll go make the lasagna. But I get to pick tonight’s movie.”

“That’s fair,” said Amethyst, grinning.

~~

“I wish you’d eat with a little more—grace,” said Pearl, brushing a fleck of cheese off her arm.

“Sorry,” said Amethyst, with her mouth full of food. “Can’t help it.”

“Hmph.” Pearl wrapped her arms around Amethyst again, resting her head between the latter’s shoulder and head. “You’ve got a super cute tum,” she admitted.

“Aw, thanks,” said Amethyst.

The movie started to play then. Pearl had chosen an old movie about a young couple separated by not only distance but time, as one was in the future but the other stuck in the past. Amethyst didn’t really care for romance, but she secretly liked this one, although she’d never tell Pearl that.

“You feeling better now?” asked Pearl.

“Much better,” said Amethyst. “Thanks, babe.”

“My pleasure,” said Pearl.

They spent the rest of the night cuddled together on the sofa.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was an ordinary fic request and not based off any prompt list.

Requester wanted a fic based off Pearl playing with Amethyst's hair.

* * *

 

“Your hair looks as if you just ran through some brambles,” said Pearl, folding her arms.

“It does?” Amethyst asked, taking a fistful of her hair and looking at it. “Haha. Cool. I look all ‘one with nature’ now.”

“It’s not respectable.”

“And what’s respectable to you?”

Pearl gestured for Amethyst to sit down. As Amethyst did so, Pearl took a comb from one of the shelves nearby. It had never been used and was still in its plastic wrapping. This Pearl removed and then she sat next to Amethyst. “I’ve seen humans do this before. It’s supposed to be a bonding exercise of some kind.”

“What?” Amethyst asked, trying to turn around. “What is?”

“Brushing hair.” Pearl began to take branches and thorns out of Amethyst’s hair. “Sit still, please.”

“Sorry.” Amethyst settled down. “That feels nice, I guess.”

The other gem started to run the comb through Amethyst’s long hair, humming to herself. She was very gentle with Amethyst’s hair, careful not to rip any knots or entangle the more stubborn of the branches—which she removed with delicate force and precision. There was a pause as Pearl attempted to smooth back a particularly springy piece of Amethyst’s hair until she gave up and let it maintain its jovial attitude.

“You done yet?” asked Amethyst after a while.

“No, why?”

“Good. I didn’t want this to be over yet.”

Pearl set down the comb and began to run her fingers through Amethyst’s hair instead, part checking for any thorns and part just for the gentle affection factor. Amethyst leaned back into Pearl’s arms.

“Is the bonding exercise working?”

“Yeah,” said Amethyst. “Do I look respectful now, according to you?”

“You look like yourself,” said Pearl. She smiled. “And respectable now, yes, that’s true.”

She continued to play with Amethyst’s hair until it became an absentminded gesture and her humming drifted off into soft notes in harmonies Amethyst didn’t understand.

“Thanks,” said Amethyst after a bit.

“You’re welcome,” said Pearl, stopping her music. “That was—pleasant.”

“Let’s do it again sometime?”

“Yes. But—please— _don’t run through anymore brambles._ ”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is a fic based off an idea prompt, not dialogue/a sentence

**CLICHES ARE FOR CHUMPS:**  write a completely overused au, but add a completely original plot twist that makes it actually interesting to read 

* * *

 

The sea was rough and wild, a veritable beast on the worst of the days. The dark surface held countless dangers below the calm exterior it projected…and innumerable wonders, too.

Amethyst was only a sailor on board a great vessel bound for Europe. Her duties comprised mainly of swabbing decks, helping the galley cook, and overseeing the little tasks of those even lower than her in rank.

One night, the captain gathered the crew around in his quarters, expression sternly paternal. On the desk before him was spread a map. There was a huge red circle scribbled in the center of the Atlantic.

“We’re going through mercreature territory,” he said the moment the doors shut with a soft, ominous thud that punctuated his words. “You veterans know what this means. As for you freshly aboard…well…just stay below deck for the next few days.”

“Aren’t you explain this?” asked another sailor sitting next to Amethyst.

“Just stay below deck,” said a grizzled woman with only one leg.  She leaned on her cane. “I’ve been through this part of the sea near twenty times. It gets ugly. Don’t make me lock you in your cabins.”

The captain let the message settle in the heads of the newest sea-goers. He chuckled lowly. “It’s all right. We’ll let you know when it’s safe to come out.”

That night there was a small party on the upper deck. Amethyst stood at the stern of the ship, long hair free from its usual ponytail and blowing in the nighttime breezes.

The first note of the song cascaded through her mind like scintillating water, sloshing down through her brain in refreshing, chilling waves. She leaned over the railing, looking at the sea below. A light burst into life below, glowing white and turquoise. Amethyst felt the spray of salt against her cheeks as another note bloomed through the air—pure and simple.

A woman surfaced, skin translucent and pale in the moonlight. Her hair was the color of soft coral, eyes shining with the light of the stars above. Amethyst was entranced upon sight.

“Who are you?” she called.

The woman opened her mouth, and a single, pleased note drifted up. A smile graced her face. She moved backwards, arms paddling the frigid water. A gleam of scales.

“You’re—oh God…” Amethyst said in a hushed voice. “A mermaid.”

Another burst of music. Luring. The sailor leaned over the railing, white-knuckling the sea-tarnished wood. Laughter rang out behind her. They were celebrating the last night in the open air.

“Oh, how beautiful you are…I’m not supposed to be talking to you and yet…” Amethyst sighed. How strange that her heart panged for a woman she had never seen before. The music told her all—yes, it might be love.

There came a sudden _crack_ and the wood gave way beneath Amethyst’s fingers, snapping, splinters digging into her palms, slight pain, and then air greeted her. Down, down, d o w n. The distance seemed so long and so short.

The woman seemed to have gone. Amethyst bobbed in the waves, a fear seizing her resolve. There was no way she could signal to her crewmates of her predicament. The noise would drown her out. And in the morning, when they could maybe see her…they would all be below deck.

Hands rested on her shoulders. The sailor turned, gasping and spluttering on the salt water, and found herself staring into a pair of nebulas. No. Not nebulas. The mermaid.

“You…” she managed.

The mermaid smiled and then placed a delicate kiss on Amethyst’s lips, cold, unusual…beautiful. And then they both went underwater, the sailor shutting her eyes tightly.

“No—” murmured a voice, gentle. “—you are okay…open your eyes, sailor.”

And she did. Darkness. A light. The mermaid, smiling, bubbles wreathing her pale face.

“What is this?” asked Amethyst. She gasped, aware she was underwater, and shut her eyes again.

“You can breathe now—I gave you a gift…see…you are fine.” The mermaid cupped Amethyst’s face in her hands. “You are a pretty human.”

“You are a pretty…mermaid,” said Amethyst. She looked up, to the surface. It seemed so far away now. “What about the ship?”

“The ship can manage without one sailor.”

“But—”

“Come with me.”

“I’m—”

“You are _safe_ now…the ocean will protect you.”

“I’m a _human_ …”

“It does not matter.” The mermaid smiled. “Please. Come. We will teach you to sing.”

Amethyst took one of the other woman’s hands in her own. “Maybe…I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

“It will not.”

They looked at each other, the water distorting their faces, the moon shining down on them.

“What’s your name?” asked Amethyst.

“Pearl.”

“Well Pearl…I’m Amethyst.”

Music floated up from below them, soft, sweet, and alluring.

“Let us go to them,” said Pearl.

Amethyst held on to her hand. “All right.”

They descended together. Amethyst never looked back to her ship and crewmates. She was, in some ways, already in love with both the mermaid and the sea itself.


	13. Chapter 13

11\. “You don’t need to protect me.”

* * *

 

“Look out!” shouted Pearl, gesturing for Amethyst to move.

The purple gem made an exasperated noise as she avoided a spike shot from the monster. “I got it.”

“You almost were _impaled_ ,” Pearl said. “Be careful.”

She wound her arm back and flung a spear with expert precision at the monster, piercing its skin. With a poof, it turned into its gemstone, clattering against the ground. Amethyst stepped forward and picked it up, tossing it casually towards Pearl. “Yours.”

The tall slender gem caught and bubbled it. “Thank you.”

“I was fine, Pearl,” said Amethyst.

“You weren’t paying enough attention to the dangerous trajectory of that spike.”

“Yeah, yeah, well, you don’t need to protect me. I’m capable of handling myself, thank you very much.”

Pearl frowned. “Just watch out. We don’t need any casualties on everyday missions.”

“You’re gonna be a casualty of _stress_ one day.”

“What’d you say?”

“Nothin’.”

“Hmmph.” Pearl crossed her arms.

“And why do you care so much? It’s not like _you’re_ the one who’s going to get hurt.”

“There is a chance of damage to the entire team if one person is injured! And—and I’m _concerned_ about you, all right?”

“You? Concerned about me? That’s funny.”

“I mean it, Amethyst! I worry about you and if you’re okay—”

“Okay, okay, I get it. You care about me.”

Pearl’s cheeks became tinged with light blue. “I do.”

“You are _horrible_ at being affectionate in _any_ way.” Amethyst shook her head. “Man, it’s hard to like you.”

“You—what…”

“I know you heard me. Let’s just get back to the temple before any more of this _caring_ gets out of hand.”

Pearl was unusually quiet on the way home. Amethyst wore a cheeky smile back to their home. Garnet…asked no questions.


	14. Chapter 14

5\. “Are you drunk?”

* * *

The doorbell buzzed through the apartment. Pearl switched on the intercom.

“Yes?”

“Pearl?” asked a voice, mumbling and slow.

“Amethyst?” she responded. “Oh, yes it’s me.”

“Are you hooome?”

“Yes, Amethyst…I am home.” Pearl paused. “Amethyst, is something wrong?”

“You’re home, right?”

“Are you drunk?”

“I think so,” managed Amethyst. “Can I come up?”

“I guess you better.”

A few minutes later, Amethyst, with Pearl’s assistance, made it into the elevator, down the hall, and entered Pearl’s place.

“How many drinks have you had?” asked Pearl.

Amethyst slumped onto the couch. “I think…three or four?”

Pearl nearly dropped the glass of water she was carrying. “Goodness! Were these just straights drinks or drinks mixed drinks or—”

“You shoosh,” said Amethyst, waving a hand. “This is—boring! Very boring. I think I will be going now.”

“Oh, no, you don’t, you’re far too drunk to be wandering the streets and I’m _not_ going to bail you out of jail for accidental criminal activity.” Pearl stepped between her friend and the door. “Stay put. You’re with me for the night.”

She had never taken a drunk friend in before, but now was as good a time as ever, for Amethyst undoubtedly _would_ hurt herself in the nighttime thoroughfares and crowds.

Amethyst lay on the couch with a blanket over her, staring at the ceiling. Pearl offered her a glass of water but earned no response.

“I’m going to watch a movie,” she said. “You okay?”

“Have you recently painted your ceiling neon colors?”

“No?” Pearl looked up. “Oh. Those are from the statues by the lamp.” She reached over Amethyst to the small table that bore the lamp and held up a translucent, colorful statue of a dolphin. “See? Just the statue.”

“That’s very pretty.” Amethyst reached for it. “Give.”

“Okay.” Pearl handed the statue over. “Be careful, I suppose.”

She went over to the DVD player and popped the CD in. “I hope you don’t mind soap operas.”

“It’s fine.” There was a sudden plunk. Pearl turned around. The statue was on the floor, creating another dazzling show on.

“Do you think this statue knows it’s capable of making such beauty?” asked Amethyst.

“The statue is inanimate,” said Pearl settling herself awkwardly at the end of the couch. “It can’t think.”

Amethyst sat up and grabbed at Pearl’s wrist. “But can it _feel?_ ”

“No?”

“It has to know—it’s so _beautiful_ —”

“Amethyst, you’re starting to cut off circulation to my hand.”

“Oh.” She let go of Pearl’s wrist. “Yeah.”

The menu screen music blasted suddenly, dramatic violins interspersed with piano. Pearl hastily turned down the volume, when Amethyst shouted:

“TURN IT UP!”

“You want me to blast this _classical_ music?”

“YES!” Amethyst said. “It— _speaks to me._ ”

“Goodness,” said Pearl, turning it up a little. “This is certainly an experience.”

About halfway through the movie Amethyst slumped over to rest on Pearl’s shoulder, blanket falling down around her waist. Pearl sighed and tugged the blanket up, letting her hand drape over Amethyst’s shoulders, hoping the other woman didn’t mind.

“Love you,” mumbled Amethyst.

“WHA-at?” exclaimed Pearl.

Amethyst sat up. “I. Love. You.”

“You’re drunk. That doesn’t mean anything.”

“You’re sober. Half—half of what you say doesn’t mean anything, neither.”

“Either,” corrected Pearl. She blinked. “Sorry.”

“For what?”

“Nevermind.”

“You’re awfully cute. Have I ever told you that? You’re cute.” Amethyst grinned.

“Oh—well, thank you…”

The next morning, Amethyst woke up bundled in blankets on an unfamiliar couch with a raging headache. The smell of breakfast fare filled the apartment’s atmosphere.

“Pearl?” asked Amethyst. “You there?”

“Yep.” The other woman stuck her head outside. “Need something? Water?”

“What the hell did I say last night?”

“You went on about this statue—and classical music—and then at about one, when I was trying to convince you to sleep, you refused and started going off about the statue again.”

“Christ.” Amethyst rubbed at her temples. “Not too terrible.”

“And you—might have also confessed you loved me, but I think that was the drink talking.” Pearl disappeared back into the kitchen for a moment.

“Oh.” The woman on the couch froze. “I did?”

“Yes.”

“Well, um, Pearl…that wasn’t the drink talking…I don’t think…because, well, you see, I do actually—harbor a small—okay, it’s kinda significant—crush—affection-thingy for you.”

There was the clatter of a pan in the kitchen—a muffled curse—then Pearl stuck her head out again:

“You do?”

“I guess. Yeah. I do.”

“I—well…okay.”

“What?”

“I—erm—might like you too.”

It was the beginning of an unusually beautiful relationship. There would be nights spend stargazing, soap opera movie nights, and prolonged discussions about inanimate objects to follow.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this was an ordinary fic request and not based off any prompt list.

Requester wanted more of Pearl being protective of Amethyst.

* * *

 

“Be careful!” said Pearl called up the trail to Amethyst. “This part is a little tricky to navigate.”

Amethyst glanced behind her. “I’ll be fine, P!”

“Okay…” Pearl avoided a pile of leaves that looked like they were very slip-prone. She ducked down to dodge a low-slung tree branch, the twigs brushing against the top of her helmet.

Amethyst disappeared over the crest of a hill. Pearl biked faster to catch up to her, determined not to let her girlfriend get too far ahead. The dip downward was steep and she applied her brakes a touch to prevent any accidents.

“Hey!” said Amethyst, looking behind her again. “No hands!” She stuck them up and laughed.

“Don’t do that!” scolded Pearl, white-knuckling her handles. “Not in the hills—”

Amethyst rolled her eyes and returned her hands to the handlebars. “I know what I’m doing!”

“Sometimes I doubt your judgement!”

Pearl had managed to catch up to Amethyst by now, just a few feet behind her. The other young woman grinned at Pearl, hair blowing wildly behind her.

Pearl couldn’t help but smile back, though she said: “Keep your eyes forward.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Amethyst replied, nodding. She churned her legs to push the bike over the hill, whooping loudly as she shot down. Pearl took a more cautious speed.

There came the sound of tires skidding on loose shale, and a whoop from Amethyst quickly turned into a yelp. Pearl came over the incline just in time to see the her girlfriend tumble off both the bike and the trail. She screeched to a halt the moment she reached the base of the hill and leaped off her own bicycle. It wasn’t a far fall, just a couple feet, but it was enough to at least injure.

Amethyst was lying on a rock, looking dazed. Her elbow was scraped, and there was a few small gashes on her forehead. Pearl knelt beside her.

“Oh, no,” she said. “Are you okay?”

“Do I look okay, P?” Amethyst retorted, her voice weaker than usual.

“You don’t.” Pearl put an arm around her. “I told you not to go so fast.”

Amethyst pounded her helmet. “’Least my head’s all right, huh?”

“The rest of you…not so much…”

Pearl assisted the other biker up the hill, carefully measuring their paces. Amethyst started to wipe her forehead off where blood was beginning to trickle, but Pearl stopped her, knowing that there was plenty of dirt and bacteria on Amethyst’s hands.

“Good thing I have this first aid kit on me at all times,” said the latter, pulling it out of the front basket on her bike. “Sit down on that rock and let me tend to you.”

“I just need a band-aid.”

“Take off your helmet. I’m going to clean your face. This might sting.” Pearl took a cleansing wipe from the kit as Amethyst removed her helmet. Tenderly she cleaned up Amethyst’s little abrasions and scrapes.

“Ouch, P, that hurts,” mumbled Amethyst, wincing slightly.

“It’s got alcohol in it to kill bacteria,” Pearl explained. “Sorry.”

She balled the dirty wipe up and set it aside in a disposal baggie. Amethyst watched as she pulled a pack of band-aids out.

“Would you like regular or patterned?” Pearl asked.

“Uh…regular’s…fine.”

It took a few moments for Pearl to apply the band-aids. She then cleaned Amethyst’s elbow and put another bandage there.

“All done?” asked Amethyst.

“Yes.” Pearl packed up the kit and put it back.

The other young woman rose and dusted herself off. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And—um…sorry, I guess… I shoulda listened to you.” Amethyst buckled her helmet back on.

“Yes.” Pearl nodded. “But now you know.”

“Yeah.”

“Would you like to keep biking?”

“Okay.” Amethyst grinned. “Race you?”

“ _What? What did I just—_ ”

She laughed. “I was teasing, P.”

“That was _not_ funny—especially after what just happened—”

Amethyst tuned her girlfriend out and got back on her bike. “Let’s go.”

Pearl sighed and settled herself back in for the ride. “All right. But _slowly._ ”

“I know…I know.”


	16. Chapter 16

19\. “Come home with me.” 

* * *

 

“You’re _homeless?_ ” asked Pearl. “What? How can this be?”

“I was evicted, okay?”

“Last month you told me you were fine.”

“That was _last_ month.” Amethyst rubbed at her temples and shifted position on the bench.

“What was it for? Did you break something?”

“The damn rent.”

“Rent?”

“Yeah, the rent. I was trying to—but I couldn’t—I didn’t pay for the last three months.”

Pearl threw her hands up. “You _said you were fine!_ ”

“I don’t get why you’re getting worked up about this!”

“I’m your _friend_ —I need you to be okay!”

Amethyst crossed her arms. “What are you gonna do about it? Talk to the landlord? Convince him to take my broke-ass back?”

“No—”

“Didn’t think so.”

“But I can—”

“Pay him off?”

“Ame, I’m just as in debt as you are, considering the last four years of education we’ve been through.”

“Then what?”

Pearl took a deep breath and exhaled, adjusting the strap of the bag slung around her shoulder. “You can come and stay with me.”

“Wait, _what?_ ”

“You are more than welcome to stay over at my place.” Pearl shrugged and gave Amethyst a lopsided half-smile. “For however long you want.”

“That’s awfully kind of you, P.”

“Come on. There’s going to be rainstorms tonight and tomorrow. I’d rather have you warm and dry than out here in the cold.”

“Okay.” Amethyst rose from the bench. “And I don’t have to pay you?”

“I would say yes, but we’re in the same boat, aren’t we?”

“I don’t know how I would live without you.” Amethyst patted Pearl on the back, a little too roughly.

They got into Pearl’s old car. It took a few tries to start up the engine.

“My parents bought me this as a graduation from high-school present,” explained Pearl. “It’s seen a few decades.”

“I can tell,” Amethyst noted, running a finger along the crack where the window met the car door. “Nice dust coating there.”

“I try to clean it once a week,” said Pearl. She nudged the car off the curb and onto the street. “Emphasis on _try._ ”

“Yeah…” Amethyst sighed and fiddled with the straps of her duffel bag. “Can’t believe I don’t have a home. Or a job.”

“No job, either?”

“Nope. I didn’t quite get an interview.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Once I settle down again, I think I’ll start browsing for openings.”

“I hear that hip-hop school down on Orange Street is looking for instructors,” said Pearl. “You were a very good dancer in college—and high-school.”

“Aw, gee, thanks, P.” Amethyst grinned. “Are they really looking for a teacher? I guess I could take that up. Not much of a pay, though.”

“Better than nothing.”

The car stuttered to a halt at a traffic light. There was a lull as they waited for the green, and then took off with a soft, croaking roar.

“How big is your place?”

“One bedroom, one bathroom. Small kitchen. The usual.”

“I can sleep on the couch if it comes to it.”

“You sure you’re okay with that?” Pearl asked, tilting her head. One of her little earrings glinted in the sunlight.

Amethyst nodded. “Yeah. No biggie.”

“Okay. If you say so.”

They arrived at the apartment just a few minutes later. The lobby was surprisingly empty—then again, it was just about lunchtime and most people were out for their noontime meal. The woman at the front desk gave the pair a courteous nod.

“Nice place,” said Amethyst.

“Not much,” Pearl said, setting her bag down on the counter in the kitchen. “But it works. I pay the rent in an orderly fashion—”

“—oh that’s just _mean_ , P, poking at me like that.”

“Sorry.”

Pearl went to the closet and pulled out a few blankets. “These are for you.”

“Nice. Fluffy. They feel expensive.”

“I bought them at the local department store,” said Pearl, “for six dollars each.”

“Oh.” Amethyst grinned again. “I guess that’s pretty decent.”

There was about a half hour chunk of time devoted to settling Amethyst into the place. Pearl then made quick sandwiches for the both of them, and they chatted amicably over the coffee table, Amethyst swathed in the blankets.

Upon finishing her first (of later three) sandwiches, Amethyst sat up and looked Pearl in the eyes. “Hey, I just really really would like to say thank you. For this. Not many people I know would be willing to give up some of their space for me. Especially in a situation like this, fresh outta college an’ all. And it just means a lot to me. Knowing people care about me, despite my flaws an’ so on.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. It’s nothing really. I’m always willing to accommodate a friend.” Pearl smiled and set down the remaining quarter of her sandwich. “You are welcome to stay here as long as you’d like. And if the landlord asks, and you’re okay with it, maybe you could be added to my lease. I mean, rent’s probably going to go up but—”

“—oh no, I’m not gonna put you down into even further debt. I’ll get my own place.”

“Let me finish, all right? I was going to say that once you get a job, you can help pay for that. And with me around, there’s no reason you won’t be able to do that.”

“That’s awfully considerate of you.”

“You mean a lot to me.”

Amethyst leaned back onto the pillows and put her hands behind her head. “Is that the closest I’m gonna get to a confession of attraction?”

“It’s _not_ a confession of attraction—!”

“I’m teasing.”

Pearl sighed, not resentfully, but more of a quiet sigh. The kind of almost, halfway-there relief. “I think we’re going to be having some interesting days ahead.”

“You got that right.” Amethyst winked at Pearl. “Good days, too.”


	17. Chapter 17

6\. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that.”

* * *

Amethyst was notorious through the college campus for her pranks. They were respected, feared, and even used as models for other shenanigans. And when she wanted to prank you, you were pranked,  _big time._

Then there was Pearl. Quiet, studious, meticulous in all aspects of her life, she was quite the opposite from her prankster classmate. Unfortunately for Pearl, she was also the anxious owner of a crush on Amethyst. They shared two classes, and that was enough. Also, Amethyst knew. Oh, she knew about Pearl’s affection. They were roommates, too. Pearl avoided eye contact most days as she did her work and Amethyst did her own.

Today was April Fools’ Day. Pearl wore a raincoat just in case anybody got any ideas for the classic bucket of water on top of the door maneuver, and crossed the commons post-haste at avoid anything else that could come her way. Leaning against the wall outside of their class was Amethyst, busily chewing on something. Most likely it was gum.

Pearl offered her a smile and sped up, noticing that Amethyst was digging around in her pocket for something.

“Hey—wait!” called the young woman, stepping away from the wall. She knocked back the brim of her baseball cap. “Pearl. I got something for you.”

“You—ahah—I think I’ll pass…” said Pearl. She reached for the doorknob and found it locked. Oh, dear. “Umm…is Professor Quartz here?”

“Nope. Late again. Or we’re just early.”

“What time is it?” asked Pearl, reaching into her bag.

“Lemme check for you.” Amethyst pulled out her phone. “It’s time. She should be here.”

“Really? How terrible.” Pearl sighed. “Where is everyone else?”

“Probably sleeping in to avoid pranks.”

“That’s…likely. Considering your reputation and all.”

“Soo,” Amethyst said, stepping forward. “Can I show you the thing?”

Pearl sighed. “I suppose. Since we have time.”

“Here.” Amethyst handed Pearl a slip of paper. “Go ahead and read it.”

When she had finished reading the note, Pearl looked up and raised an eyebrow at Amethyst. “What is this?”

“An invitation. Can’t you read?”

“I can _read!_ ”

“Are you gonna come?”

“I don’t know. Frankly, I don’t trust you—even more so because it’s April Fools.” Pearl glanced around. “Are you sure it’s almost nine?”

“Yeah.”

Pearl’s phone buzzed. She took out the device and checked her messages. It was 6:09. Her face blanched.

“Oh my God,” she said. “It’s six in the morning.”

“Took you long enough,” snickered Amethyst.

“I could have been asleep in bed this whole time,” said Pearl. “I can’t believe you.”

“April Fools!” Amethyst said, tossing her hands up. “Heh.”

“I’m actually mad,” said Pearl. “This is not okay. I have a test today in a later class and now I’m stressed. I’m _stressed!_ This is going to poorly impact my performance! I’m _actually pissed off._ ”

She sounded incredulous about her own feelings. Amethyst raised her eyebrows. “Relax. It’s just a harmless little time-swap.”

“Harmless?” Pearl laughed hollowly. “ _Harmless?_ This has completely ruined my day.” She put the phone away. “I’m blaming you if I fail.”

With that final statement, Pearl stormed off across the campus, muttering about clocks and privacy and grades. Amethyst chuckled and followed her back. They did, after all, share a dorm.

~~

The alarm went off right next to Pearl’s head. She sat up abruptly and looked at the clock. It was 12:30 in the afternoon. The young woman yelped and leaped out of bed, hastily throwing on clothing to the best of her ability. She smoothed out a cowlick at the back of her hair and then grabbed her bag and supplies for her class. If she hurried, Pearl thought, she could arrive safely and just fifteen minutes late.

The door to her classroom banged open on a room full of strangers. The professor inside looked up from a lecture about advanced economics. Pearl stood in the doorway, still holding the entrance wide open. She started to say something and then slammed the door shut, chest rising and falling rapidly. A tear spilled down her cheek and she wiped it away, the panic and embarrassment turning into anger.

“This is Amethyst’s doing…” she muttered, narrowing her eyes. A few more tears streamed down her face but she ignored them. “Damn her! I didn’t need this. Not now.”

She whirled away and stomped down the hall, shoulders nearly to her ears. A student poked his head out of the classroom Pearl had barged in on and then disappeared without a word, figuring she was a lost cause.

“Hey, don’t you have class right now?” asked Amethyst as Pearl entered the room. She was choking back a grin, clearly judging from the crinkles at her eyes.

“It’s over, Amethyst. I am utterly sick of your idea of a prank. This isn’t funny,” Pearl said shakily, still retaining some fury in her tone.

“What?”

“You damn well know what!”

Amethyst’s face turned into concern. When Pearl swore, she was angry. Usually for a justified reason.

“Playing with the clock isn’t right. You’ve cause me undue stress over my classes. I don’t know what time it is or even if it’s still April 1st but my God, I am in a hellish amount of trouble. I don’t think I made it clear enough to you that I have a test today. And if I don’t attend and complete that test, I am screwed. My grade hinges on that test, you hear me?”

“Oh, jeez, Pearl—”

“I’m _not_ finished!”

“Okay—”

“I would have much rather had a bucket of ice water dumped on my head than all of this _stress_ I’ve had to gone through.” Pearl noticed the actual time on Amethyst’s clock: 10:23. “It’s not even 10:30 in the morning. God. Have a little respect and _back off before you’ve done too much!_ How many other kids have you pranked today?”

“Just you so far,” mumbled Amethyst. She fiddled with her baseball cap. “Jeez, Pearl. I’m sorry.”

“Are you?”

“Yeah, really!” The other young woman looked up at Pearl’s angry countenance. “I am. I thought it would be funny to see you run around—but I guess—I think I did take it too far, maybe.  It wasn't supposed to happen like that."

“Yes.”

“I hope you can accept my apology. I swear—really, truly, I do—I won’t pull that bullshit again. It was funny at first but now it’s just bad.”

“I’m glad you realize that.”

“Yeah.” Amethyst’s shoulders dropped. “Me, too.”

There was a long silence. Pearl shifted her bag. “My class for the test is at 11. I’ll be studying in quiet over there. Don’t bother me, all right?”

“I won’t.”

“Okay.”

The next year for April Fool’s Day, Amethyst respectfully left Pearl alone and pulled something on a teacher instead. It was better all-around for everyone.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was an ordinary fic request and not based off any prompt list.

requester wanted pearlmethyst on a roller coaster

* * *

 

“We are _not_ getting on that ride,” said Pearl, staring up at the rollercoaster. She clutched her hat to her head as a wind whipped across the grounds. “That is certain death.”

“No, P, it’ll be fun!” Amethyst grabbed her girlfriend’s arm. “Just this once? You _never_ go on rollercoasters with me.”

“There’s a good reason for that!” Pearl shook her head. “No.”

“You’ve turned down practically every ride I’ve shown you today.”

“This one is the worst of them all.”

“It’s only…what…four drops? And a loop-de-loop? Not _that_ bad.”

“Ame…”

The purple-haired girl knocked her ball-cap back on her head, the brim rising high above her forehead. She rubbed her chin. “Awrite. Let’s go do something more your speed.”

“I do rather enjoy the simple rides,” said Pearl. They walked down a wide lane crammed with other amusement park goers. “Ones that do not require fear to achieve enjoyment.”

“You’re not supposed to get scared on a coaster.”

“The screaming would indicate otherwise.”

“Those are _excited_ screams, P.” Amethyst shook her head. “Gawd, you’d think you’d never been to a place like this before.”

“I, uh, haven’t, actually,” confessed Pearl, stopping in front of a merchandise store. “Not for a while.”

“What’s a while to you?”

“Fifteen-ish years.”

“Damn.” Amethyst raised her eyebrows at their reflections in the glass. “That _is_ a while.”

“Would you like to have our caricatures done?” asked Pearl, diverting the conversation. “They’re offering a discount for couples.”

“Okay.” Amethyst seemed to perk up for the moment. “Sure.”

They approached the booth. The woman behind the counter looked up at them with a smile adhered to her mouth. “Hi! You want your portraits done?”

“Yes,” said Pearl.

“Couples get a discount, I hear?” Amethyst inquired, tossing a quick glance at the sign.

“Yep!” The woman nodded. “Just sit over there, please.”

They sat in the indicated chairs for about thirty minutes as the woman did the drawing. Occasionally she asked questions like:

“How long have you been together?”

“Three years.”

“Enjoying your day?”

“Yes.”

“Almost—ouch, my toe!”

“Oops.”

“Happy together?”

“That’s a bit personal—”

“Yes.”

“Personal, but yes. Very much.”

Amethyst paid for the sketch and took the drawing. It was a humorous representation of them, realistic but a little goofy. Pearl thought her hat was over exaggerated, but made no remarks. Amethyst grinned.

“Good choice, P,” she said. She looked towards the arcade. “Okay. Here’s my deal: we play an arcade game. If I beat you, we ride a rollercoaster” —Pearl raised a hand— “no no, hear me out, a little one, a kiddy one. And if you beat me…I pay for the food?”

“And we don’t go on _any_ coasters.”

“Man. Okay.” Amethyst held out her hand. “Shake on it, P. This is a serious deal.”

“It’s just some wager,” said Pearl, but she shook her girlfriend’s hand anyway. “What game?”

“I don’t know.”

They scouted around for an appropriate game, finally deciding on a racing game because it was one of the few available.

“Now, the object of this game is to cross the finish line first and take out as many opponents as you can,” explained Amethyst.

“I know, I can _read the screen._ ” Pearl settled herself in her chair. “Let’s see how this goes.”

It was moments later that the both of them already knew the probably fate of the game. Despite her best efforts, Pearl could not drive at a speed that would even remotely let her win.

“The speed limit says forty miles per hour! All of this is highly illegal!” she said.

“It’s a _game_ , P, we don’t have to follow the rules so closely.”

“I refuse—this game is teaching children bad road procedures…”

“Then we’re going to the rollercoaster?”

“Oh my gosh _no Amethyst this isn’t_ —”

Amethyst crossed the finish line and the game automatically ended. She smiled at Pearl. “I love you, so we’ll try the most basic one, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And…lunch on me, too.”

“ _The_ most basic?”

“Promise.”

Pearl allowed Amethyst to lead her outside. They walked for some time until they reached a tiny rollercoaster.

“Goes fast but it’s really nothin’,” said Amethyst. “This was my intro to the world of adrenaline and excitement.”

“I see.” Pearl leaned against the rails but recoiled once the hot metal burned her flesh. “Seems harmless.”

After the ride was over she was quite dizzy and sat down on a bench for fifteen minutes. Amethyst went and got her water and held her hand.

“You okay?”

“I think so,” said Pearl. “It’s quite hot out, too, so that could have something to do with it.”

“You wanna go get ice cream at the pier? We can go look at the ocean for a bit and just forget about the park.”

“Sounds delightful.”

“Guess we won’t be doing any more rollercoasters? Not even the bitty ones?”

“No.” Pearl smiled tiredly. “Maybe I’ll just watch you.”

“Probably for the best.”

Deep down, somewhere in the back of her mind, Pearl had found the rush of adrenaline gained from the tiny ride rather enjoyable. But there was, she told herself, no way she’d ever take on a big rollercoaster.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was an ordinary fic request and not based off any prompt list

Amethyst was short. Pearl was tall. Makeout sessions were, needless to say, quite difficult. However, through skilled practice and excellent calf muscles, Amethyst could stand on her toes to make things a little less awkward. Usually.

They went out for dinner and a few drinks and managed to procure a taxi back to Pearl’s apartment. Pearl went and drank two glasses of water. Amethyst put her arms around Pearl’s waist from behind and pressed her face against her girlfriend’s back. There was a clink.

“Whoever wakes up with the lesser hangover,” mumbled Amethyst, “makes breakfast, okay?”

“Sounds about right,” agreed Pearl. She turned around and began to lean over to kiss Amethyst. Automatically the latter rose up on her tip toes. Their noses bumped together, then lips, and then Pearl moved her head back, a grin cracking across her face.

Amethyst blinked. “What?”

“You” —Pearl began to laugh— “You stand on your toes?”

“I…” began Amethyst. Her face flushed red. “Y-yeah? I do…so?”

“How have I—how have I not noticed, oh my gosh,” continued Pearl. She leaned against the counter. “That’s so funny.”

“I’m just trying to make things less difficult, P.”

“It’s so _cute_.”

“I feel like you’re subtly poking fun at me.”

“No, no, I’m not, I swear.” Pearl giggled again. “I’m sorry. It’s just—I mean I always knew you were shorter than me but I never realized just how big the gap was.”

Amethyst sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I thought it was a bad idea for you to be drinking the way you were.”

“No—”

“Yes…”

Pearl bent forward again and pressed her lips against Amethyst’s, a rushed but soft kiss. Amethyst put her hands on Pearl’s cheeks, smiling slightly despite herself.

When they moved apart, even if it was only a few inches, Amethyst said: “So, would you rather have me stand on tip toe or bend down yourself to kiss?”

“Well,” said Pearl, looking upwards in mock-thought, “I don’t know. I’d have to conduct some more trial runs to see what I like better.”

“For once, I think I agree with your science,” said Amethyst, grinning.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was an ordinary fic request and not based off any prompt list

requester wanted Pearl trying to bake a cake for Amethyst

* * *

 

“Steven,” said Pearl, catching the young boy’s attention as he passed through the temple’s house. “If I was to make the particular type of baking dish known as cake, how would I do that?”

“Well, there’s cake mix in the kitchen. I accidentally bought too many when I was making cakes for your guys’…birthday…celebrations.”

“Oh. I’m sorry Steven. I did not know you associated cake with death.”

“No, it’s not that.” Steven put a hand on his chin. “I think I’m going to go the Big Donut and get a snack. I’ll see you later, Pearl.”

“Yes,” said the slender gem. “Later.”

She went to the kitchen and began scouting through the pantries. The temple door opened and Amethyst stepped out. Pearl froze and stopped looking. She peered over at Amethyst.

“Hey, what’s going on?” asked Amethyst. “Looking for a snack?”

“I don’t like eating, Amethyst,” replied Pearl. “I am merely making sure Steven has enough…nourishment.”

“Oh.” Amethyst nodded and leaned against the counter. “Cool.”

 There followed a tense silence. Amethyst broke it with a shrug.

“Well—I guess I’ll—go back to organizing the junk in my room.”

“That’s not proper organizing,” said Pearl. “You just push piles around.”

“It’s how I work.” Amethyst winked and went off to her temple room.

Pearl turned back around and procured the cake mix. It had simple instructions printed on the back. Only a few ingredients appeared to be needed aside from the mix itself. Pearl kept an eye on the temple door as she gathered the appropriate items and settled them on the counter. It would be simple, really, a blink of an eye time-wise, too.

As she was about to combine ingredients she realized a bowl was in order and got one of those out. Finally. She appeared to have everything ready.

“Mix well?” she echoed, peering at the instructions. “How well?”

She stirred vigorously until there were no clumps and then a little more. Now to put it in a pan—there. A little dingy…was that something stuck to the bottom? Pearl went to the sink and scrubbed at it until it was clean. She could have sworn she had removed that.

Now to put it in the oven inside the pan. Pearl looked at the temperature and set it to that. Maybe if she set it higher it would bake faster. She turned up the heat. She had to be efficient to avoid detection.

Pearl went to her room to wait. Here she did proper organization and arranged her sword collection according the value of the jewels in the hilts. No. That wasn’t right. She tried by blade length. Not quite that either. Age seemed better. Yes.

An alarm went off through the house. Pearl burst out of her room and went straight into the kitchen. The oven was beeping at her. She shut it off and pulled the cake out. It was burnt and crispy.

Amethyst emerged from her room.

“What’s happening?” She paused. “What smells so good?”

“Erm.” Pearl set the cake down on the counter. “I attempted to bake a cake for you.”

“You tried to make a cake for me?”

“Yes. I tried. But unfortunately I made an error in the last and most important step and now the cake has been ruined.”

“It smells great, though!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah!” Amethyst sat down on a stool. She tore a piece off the cake and ate it. “Tastes great. Needs a bit of engine oil, though.”

“Oh.”

“You made this for me?” asked the purple gem.

“Yes.”

Amethyst’s face broke into a grin. “You’re too kind, P.”

“I wanted to make something of edible value to you.”

“It’s fantastic.”

“It’s imperfect—”

“Imperfect things are a-okay by me.” Amethyst ate another piece. “Besides, it adds flavor.”

“Sure?”

Amethyst put a hand on Pearl’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. “I’m sure. Don’t worry about you. There’s bigger things to concern yourself about.”

“Oh.” Pearl’s cheeks turned blue. “Maybe I should make more of these imperfect cakes?”

“That’d be lovely,” agreed Amethyst.

Pearl watched the purple gem eat the rest of the cake, a lazy, content smile resting on her face.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a fun little fluff prompt I did on my own time!

They had been together for a few years now and every bit of affection passed between them, although subtle at times, still had the same honeymoon love glow attached to it. The attraction between them had never waned. It had been there since the beginning and both of them were sure it would remain steadfast until the end.

On quiet evenings after work Amethyst would settle herself on the couch for a rest, usually a brief sleep, and Pearl would join her with a book in hand, sometimes the same book she’d been finishing over a few days. The book, however, quickly became a backdrop. Pearl would begin to play gently with Amethyst’s unruly hair and then trace her facial features gently, like an artist inspecting a much beloved art. On occasion Pearl took a napkin and scribbled a profile of her girlfriend, always rough, always never quite like the real beauty, and Amethyst would find them under the bed. She’d unfold them and place them on her nightstand, under a stack of books there only for the aesthetic. Pearl still hadn’t found out.

Tonight was no different, except Amethyst wasn’t _asleep_ , per se. She tried to doze off, but once Pearl’s familiar warmth settled next to her, she couldn’t. She closed her eyes and waited a few minutes. Then there came silence. No pages in tonight’s book rustled anymore. Pearl began to hum something akin to a waltz. There was a different sort of rustle then—softer, a napkin. The click of a pen.

“You’re too much to capture in a still image,” Pearl said softly.

Amethyst felt the beginnings of a smile touch her lips.

“I keep trying and I must be getting better somehow,” Pearl continued.

There was a pause and then Amethyst felt her girlfriend press kiss her forehead, gently.

“You always look so tired when you come home,” she said.

Amethyst couldn’t help but smile then and she opened her eyes. “I sure am, P.”

“Oh!” said Pearl. “How long have you been—”

“Not long,” said Amethyst. She noticed the wadded up napkin and the discarded pen next to it. She sat up and unfolded the sketch. “Hey, it’s me.”

“It’s not that good…”

“No, it’s great! You drew me? That’s so sweet.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.” Amethyst leaned over and kissed Pearl’s cheek. “Love you.”

Pearl wrapped her arms around Amethyst. “I love you too.”

It turned out they were both tired that evening and soon were both asleep, still cuddled together.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> written for the pearlmethystbomb (aug. 20-26, on Tumblr), day #3: fusion/opal

“Wow—this is _incredible!_ ” Opal exclaimed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A giggle escaped and she tried to stifle it but soon she was laughing. It stopped abruptly.

“We shouldn’t—I shouldn’t—fusion is a _serious_ matter.” She paused. “But it’s so nice and wonderful…connecting with someone like this…”

She looked down at herself. The ground seemed so much further away than she’d ever experienced it before. “I’ve got legwarmers! They look nice on us—me. Me.”

There was a reflective surface on the side of their ‘home’. Opal peered at herself in there, the image slightly warped, but she could see herself clearly.

“There’s those odd shoulder pads—they’re not odd _now_ , in fact, I like them on me.” she said, tapping her own shoulders. “This is all quite an interesting design—how _fun_ it is though…”

She lowered her arms. “Only one set of arms. I wonder—let’s try summoning our weapon.”

It was an awkward procedure but she managed to summon Pearl’s spear and Amethyst’s whip. There was a glow of light and a small bow appeared.

“A bow! What a magnificent weapon—” Opal nocked an arrow out of thin air and aimed out over the beach below. “I wonder if I can send it into the ocean.” She lowered her arm momentarily. “I shouldn’t _hit_ anyone, right? No. I won’t. There’s no one around.”

She drew back the arrow again and prepared to fire, when the warp pad behind her sounded. Opal let go of the arrow prematurely and it skidded into the floor and clattered down the stairs. There was a flash of light and both the arrow and bow disappeared.

“Garnet?” Opal asked, turning.

“You must be Opal,” said Garnet.

Opal’s form quivered for a moment and then began to glow. Moments later, Garnet looked down at Pearl and Amethyst.

“Garnet! You’re back early,” said Pearl.

“The retrieval was a success.”

“We were just having some fun.” Amethyst grinned. “Fusion’s great! I feel really comfortable with Pearl.”

“Yes—ah—Opal is a very nice fusion,” said Pearl.

“We should do it again,” said Amethyst. “And maybe next time we’ll sink the arrow in the ocean!” She paused. “Hey, pick me up! Maybe we’ll almost be as tall as her if I’m sitting on your shoulders.”

“Oh, all right,” said Pearl and she lifted Amethyst onto her shoulders. “Almost there?”

“Close enough,” said Amethyst. She rested her chin on Pearl’s head. “I like being up here. Being tall is fun sometimes.”

“Are you going to stay up there?” asked Pearl.

Amethyst didn’t answer.

“I suppose you are,” Pearl said. She smiled. “Well, we’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> written for pearlmethystbomb (aug. 20-26, on Tumblr), day #5 kissing

A wind whispered across the grass-carpeted hill, rustling the blades of grass and small daises just beginning to sprout out of the rich earth. Pearl stepped over a patch of the tiny flowers as she made her way to the crest of the hill. Amethyst was already sitting there, twirling a daisy between her thumb and forefinger.

“Pearl!” she said, dropping the flower. “There you are.”

Pearl sat down next to Amethyst. “Where is the thing you wanted to show me?”

“We’ll have to wait a few more minutes.” Amethyst pointed at the sun, which was in the process of its gradual descent below the wavering horizon.

“The _sunset?_ ” Pearl asked. “I’ve seen the sunset thousands of times.”

“Sure, you’ve seen sunsets,” Amethyst said, “but you haven’t seen a sunset with someone else, right? Being with someone you care about makes sunsets better.”

“How do you know that?”

Amethyst grinned. “Steven watches some interesting shows. I think there’s a few you’d enjoy.”

“I just don’t understand the appeal of inanimate objects constantly crying.”

“It’s all right, Pearl. Now, sh. It’s setting.”

“We don’t have to be quiet, the sun setting makes no noise—”

Amethyst put a gentle hand over Pearl’s mouth. The sun’s lowermost edge touched the horizon and the rest of it followed it downwards. The lightshow it was putting on was a brilliant mixture of orange, gold, lavender, and pink. The breeze started up again, providing a cool respite from the still present evening warmth.

After several long moments of watching, Pearl realized Amethyst was holding her hand. She looked over at her companion and started to say something, only to stop and turn her attention back to the sunset.

The great orange disc was almost entirely submerged behind the horizon within a few minutes. Amethyst unconsciously squished Pearl’s hand gently and both of them looked at each other.

“Sorry,” said Amethyst, starting to withdraw her hand. “That was—”

Pearl took hold of Amethyst’s hand again. “No—I’m…fine…with it.”

A blush shaded over the purple gem’s cheeks and she smiled.

The last lights of the disappearing sun flared in the sky. Pearl leaned forward and her lips met Amethyst’s in a soft kiss. It lasted until the final rays from the sunset faded and then they pulled away, faces lit up in innocent-like blushes.

“Well?” asked Amethyst. “Was the sunset worth it?”

“Yes,” said Pearl. “We…should…do it again sometime.”

Amethyst grinned again and picked up the daisy she had let fall before. She tucked it into Pearl’s hair. “There.”

“Thank you, Amethyst,” Pearl said. She looked out over the horizon again. “This was—quite the experience.”

They remained on the hill until the sky grew dark and the warp pad glowed in the distance. Together they headed back, hands still intertwined.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by some film student!amethyst talk on the Tumblrs so here's college au pearlmethyst with that.

"Hey, P!" Amethyst said, linking her arm with her girlfriend's. "I got something I want to show you. My latest project."

"I've told you already--I don't like horror films." Pearl shivered. "Too many--in your face moments."

"Aw, my films aren't like that. I prefer weird shit that _doesn't_ involve jumpscares. At least...not too many of them." Amethyst adjusted the bag she had slung over her shoulders. "Besides...I need someone to watch it who won't tear it apart, like my classmates. And you're just the girl I need. Smart...thoughtful...attentive to details...y'know..."

Pearl felt a blush rising up on her cheeks but still denied the offer. "Flattery isn't going to get you very far, you know."

Amethyst shrugged. "You did say the next datenight move pick was mine, though."

"I did?" Pearl blinked. "I did not."

"Yes, you did! I remember you quite clearly saying that because you'd picked A Date in Rome--which I could have filmed better, just sayin'--I got to choose the next one."

Pearl scowled. "Oh, fine."

"We can watch my movie?"

"We can watch _a_ movie."

"We're watching my movie."

"We're watching...your horror movie."

Amethyst beamed.

* * *

 

"I got some snacks and blankets and a flashlight in case the power goes out again," Amethyst said, setting the bowl of popcorn down between them. Pearl shifted in her seat, causing the bed to creak a little on its old metal frame. 

"I'm so glad you've got a projector," she continued. "I don't know what we'd do without it."

"You can thank my parents," said Pearl. "They put together some funds for that. I mean, a TV would be a little cheaper, but a projector's...more portable." She ate a few pieces of popcorn. "I'm not that tech savvy though. I leave that to others."

Amethyst finished setting everything up, turned off the lights, and huddled up next to Pearl. "I'm so excited about this project. I think it's the best I've done yet."

"Everything you create is excellent."

"Thanks, P."

Five minutes into the film, Pearl's grip on Amethyst's arm was almost cutting off the latter's blood circulation.

"T-this is...by far--the most strange film I've ever seen," Pearl whispered. "It doesn't even have jumpscares and I--"

"Wait--this is the best part!" Amethyst cut in.

Pearl covered her eyes, still white-knuckling her girlfriend's arm. 

When the short film was over, Amethyst was grinning and Pearl had her fingers splayed over her face.

"Wasn't that great? A true work of art if I do say so myself," Amethyst boasted, putting her hands on her hips. "Hey, P, you can let go of my arm."

She turned the lights on, shut off the projector, and came back to the bed, taking the last of the popcorn in one handful.

"You are a very good film student," said Pearl after a long interlude of quiet, "but I think that I ought to stay clear of your films."

"No more horror?"

"No more horror."

"Aw! Okay...but then we have to decide on a genre together for next week."

"All right."

Amethyst moved the snacks to the desk, freeing up the bed space. The dorm was dim with evening and they cuddled together, Pearl still holding onto Amethyst's arm, but with less ferocity.

Just as Pearl was beginning to drift off to a semi-peaceful sleep, Amethyst said:

"Maybe next time I'll make the protagonist the bad guy...what do you think, P?"

"I think," her girlfriend replied, "we should go to sleep for now and not think about that."

Amethyst kissed Pearl's forehead. "Sleeping's always nice."

Fortunately, none of Amethyst's 'weird shit' invaded Pearl's dreams that night.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> amethyst convinces pearl to raise a bby dragon together

The house smelled of sulfur and ash and something reptilian. Pearl sat at her tiny wooden table, absently stirring her tea with a spoon, and figured it was just a dragon that had passed overhead. It _was_ dragon migration season, anyhow.

There were heavy footsteps from upstairs as Amethyst came pounding down the stairs. She paused on the landing and slid down the rickety banister, landing with a dramatic flourish of her arms.

“You’re going to break that one of these days,” Pearl said, sipping at her drink. Still too hot. She set it down, trying to console the burnt tip of her tongue with a bite of a scone.

“It’s fine,” said Amethyst, flashing a casual grin.

“Do you smell dragon?” Pearl asked, twisting to face her housemate.

Amethyst’s face blanched for a second and then returned to its normal joviality. “Dragon? What? No.”

Pearl chewed on another bite of scone before saying, “Strange. I could have sworn I smelled a dragon. A flock must have passed overhead last night.”

“Oh, _yeah_ …it’s migration season…” Amethyst sidled over to the table and took the other stool, thumping her heels against the bars. “Probably nothing.”

At that moment, there was a loud screech from outside. Pearl dropped the mug of tea, sending the scalding liquid splattering over the table. Amethyst’s hair stood on end and she clenched her teeth together.

“What was _that?_ ” Pearl demanded, jumping to her feet. In a few strides of her long legs she had crossed the small room and seized the doorhandle of the door that led to the cramped backyard.

“Uh, maybe it’s one of those garden lizards. The _really_ big ones,” said Amethyst, joining Pearl by the door. “Maybe you shouldn’t open the door.”

“I’m not scared of garden lizards,” said Pearl, and she seized the crossbow hanging on its hook. In one swift, angular movement, she loaded a steel-tip bolt; in another movement she opened the door. Amethyst stood beside her, tension rigid throughout her face.

“What is _that?_ ” was all Pearl could ask as she stared down at the remains of her shed. Sitting amongst the wreckage was a dragon, which Pearl was aware of, but the rhetorical question still slipped out.

“A dragon!” Amethyst exclaimed, with a rather unconvincing tone in her voice.

“A _baby_ —” Pearl’s gaze flickered to Amethyst. “ _Amethyst…_ ”

The same grin from before reappeared, this time sheepish. “I may or may not have found a baby dragon last night. And I may or may not have put it in your shed with the last of the meat in the storehouse. _And_ …it may or may not have just destroyed the shed.”

Pearl held the crossbow slack against her side. “We cannot keep a baby dragon.”

The baby dragon, which was a striking lavender and sea foam mix of colors, hiccupped and a puff of smoke escaped from its pink maw.

“Aw,” said Amethyst. “It’s awfully cute, isn’t it?”

“ _Cute_ is not normally a word I use to describe dragons.”

“I’m sure if we raise it right, it’ll be a great dragon!” Amethyst stuck her arms up in the arm in enthusiasm. The gesture caught the small creature’s attention and it began to lumber over to them, its limbs wibbly-wobbly with uncertainty.

“What’s it doing?” Pearl asked, and took a step back towards the safety of the house.

“It’s just coming to say hello.” Amethyst stuck her hand out and once the dragon was close enough, it snuffed at her palm. “That tickles,” she said, starting to laugh.

“I don’t trust it,” Pearl said, starting to cross her arms. The crossbow thumped against her thin chest and she dropped the skeptical stance. “Amethyst, be careful—!”

“Aren’t you a cutie?” Amethyst asked, stroking the dragon’s ridged head. She rubbed its spikes. “Hey, Pearl, the spikes aren’t even hard yet…they must still be developing.”

“If it’s a baby, then it must be like a human child. Bones don’t harden in children until sometime after birth.”

“Bonehead!” Amethyst said to the dragon. “Let’s name it Bonehead, Pearl.”

“We are not _naming_ it; that’s how people get attached to things and then they _murder and eat them while they sleep_ —”

“Just because those farmers decided to foster a werewolf pup does not mean the same fate will befall us.”

“We cannot keep a baby dragon,” repeated Pearl.

“I hear they’re very nice after they bond with you. We can be its foster parents!” Amethyst’s face lit up. “Yeah!”

“Amethyst…” said Pearl, but she was beginning to run out of arguments. She sighed and watched as her housemate continued to pet the dragon. It _was_ cute, in a strange way. And Amethyst seemed quite happy with it.

“You’ll have to feed it. And make sure it’s clean, and doesn’t burn down the house,” Pearl said.

Amethyst stopped stroking the dragon’s ears and stared at Pearl. “What did you say?”

“That old librarian down the road has a big pasture he never uses. You can rent it from him to build an enclosure for…Bonehead here.”

“We can keep it?!”

“I suppose…”

“Hooray!” Amethyst embraced the dragon’s head, which was nearly as large as she was. Then she hugged Pearl, who dropped the crossbow in surprise. “Thanks, Pearl.”

“I’m okay with it…as long as you’re happy,” replied Pearl.

Amethyst grinned. “I’m over the moon.”

Pearl smiled back and looked towards the dragon. “Are we really going to name it Bonehead?”

“Why not?” Amethyst patted the dragon’s nose and then, gently, took Pearl’s hand and stroked Bonehead’s forehead with it.

“Feels like rock,” said Pearl, continuing to stroke the baby creature even after Amethyst’s hand dropped away. “Not too rough…a bit smooth.” She let half a smile grace her face. “This is going to be a very interesting experience, raising a dragon.”

They spent the next few hours attempting to reconstruct the destroyed shed before giving up and sitting in the shade, watching Bonehead romp around the backyard, each step getting more confident than the last.

Sometime while they were sitting, Amethyst’s hand found Pearl’s and clasped it with her own, so their fingers brushed the grass, intertwined. Neither of them made a move to adjust this. Perhaps, Pearl thought, the baby dragon had brought more with it than she anticipated.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl takes Amethyst out for a ride in her spaceship

“Ever been on a spaceship before?” asked Pearl, opening the hatch door.

“No,” Amethyst admitted, looking at the craft’s glossy hull and the stripes adorning it.

“I’m sure you’ll find it an interesting experience.” The lanky pilot took three long strides that brought her right into the cockpit. Amethyst leaned against the frame of the entryway, her arms crossed over her chest. She watched as Pearl shut the hatch, heard the hiss of the ship pressurizing and the steady thrum of the engines. For a few moments static came through the microphone, and then a clear voice said: “Opening main doors for exit. You are OK’d to leave.”

Pearl looked at Amethyst and motioned for her to sit in the copilot’s seat. Amethyst didn’t hesitate for a second before settling herself next to Pearl, fingers drumming against the armrests.

“What a view,” she remarked as Pearl turned the ship towards the exit port, the nose of the ship angling up into a cloudy but shimmering sky.

“You better hold on tight,” said her companion. “We’ve got a short, fast flight ahead of us before we get out of the planet’s atmosphere.”

A grin widened on Amethyst’s face. “Awesome.” She buckled herself in, feeling at once secure with the straps holding her firmly in place.

Pearl ran a check over the controls before saying three simple but exciting words: “Initiating launch sequence.”

The ship rocketed into the air mere moments later, the air rushing by the sleek sides of the vehicle. Clouds rushed towards them, enveloping them, zooming past, disappearing in a blur. Raindrops splattered, just audible over the roar of the engines as they worked mightily. A green light blinked every two seconds overhead, informing them they were ‘all good.’

There came another roar, the atmosphere’s roar, as they surged upwards. The heat register climbed and the light flickered yellow, but Pearl was seemingly unperturbed.

“It’s normal,” she said to Amethyst, turning her head towards her. “We’re almost into space.”

Darkness and stars were suddenly all around them; tranquility replaced the frenetic chaos of before.

“It never gets old,” Pearl said, leaning back in her seat as the ship continued, leveling out and heading in an unknown direction. “How was that?”

Amethyst’s grin had never faded from her lips. “Like nothing I’ve experience before.”

A smile lit up Pearl’s face. “I’m glad you’re having a good time.”

“Where are we going?”

“Anywhere—anywhere you’d like.”

“Is this like a date?” asked Amethyst, a familiar and rather coy twinkle glinting in her eyes.

Pearl blushed deeply. “Well, technically, no—”

“I once went to Florantine,” Amethyst said, interrupting, “where they have incredible gardens of plant-life from across the galaxy.” She paused. “That was in a passenger ship, though. Boring, really. Nothing…like this.”

“We can go to Florantine,” said Pearl. “It is beautiful.” Her slender fingers worked in a course. “That’ll take us sixteen hours at a decent speed; less if we go faster.”

“Sixteen hours is fine.” Amethyst found, to her dismay, she could not spin her chair, so instead she unbuckled and leaned on the armrest. “You can give me a tour of the rest of the ship, then, huh?”

“It’s quite small,” Pearl said, “so there’s not much to ‘tour.’”

“No matter.”

Pearl inputted the course and the engines purred again. She unstrapped herself from the seat and rose, Amethyst following her. She took Pearl’s hand as they crossed into the artificially lit corridor, and the blush reappeared.

There were two small bedrooms, with a bed and a tiny desk and tiny chair—all strapped down—in each. The bathroom was like that of an airplane’s: cramped but efficient. The kitchen composed of two storage lockers, one cold, one at a regulated temperature. There were two chairs and a table for eating. There was a hatch in the floor at the end of the ship that led to engineering, but neither of them expressed interest in looking at the engines.

“Is this like an observation area?” Amethyst asked, staring at the windows in the back.

“It can be if you’d like it to,” said Pearl. “I find it helpful to sit here and relax while the ship’s on autopilot.”

Abruptly, Amethyst lifted herself onto her toes and kissed Pearl, at first shy and sweet, and then with a little more passion behind it. There was a pause and they both broke away.

After that second of quietness, Amethyst said: “I guess it _is_ a date.”

They embraced again, with no urgency, no ravenous passion, just the pleasantly complex feeling of the affection between them. Sixteen hours could be a long time, but there was nothing quite like spending them with someone you love.


	27. Chapter 27

Pearl didn’t quite believe in the concept of there being a heaven, but there were occasions where she felt like she was in it already.

For instance, now.

It was ten after nine (logical, she mused) and the white-collar, handkerchief-in-breastpocket group of musicians were in fine spirits. Their instruments sang and the music flowed like a river, taking its twists and turns and sometimes crashing down, a waterfall of euphonic sound.

“One more dance,” Amethyst said, taking Pearl by the hand back out onto the dancefloor. “This song’s really nice.”

“I thought you weren’t the sort to dance,” Pearl said, following her girlfriend out. “But if you insist…”

The grin on Amethyst’s face became another blur amongst the shifting forms; all of them leaves spinning in the current of the music, never colliding but always passing. Pearl had never been this close to Amethyst before and it exhilarated her, the press of her form against Amethyst’s, heartbeats thumping like the drums.

When the music came to a halt, the last of the notes floating into a puddle of quiet, they were near to the middle of the floor, lights flooding upon them from above.

“You look beautiful,” they both said at once, voices overlapping. Pearl flushed, and Amethyst smiled. The dance floor occupants began to disperse and they lingered a moment longer

Amethyst went to get drinks for them and returned with cold cups of apple cider, which were biting and tangy, the nip of cinnamon buried in the sweet of apple. When they kissed, Pearl could taste the spice on Amethyst’s lips.

Now was one of the times Pearl believed in a heaven that rested on Earth, and she was grateful she had Amethyst with her for these moments.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based off a prompt request: "Please don't argue. Just leave. Now." :-(
> 
> (mention of parental homophobia, so please read with care!)

“Please don’t argue. Just leave. Now,” Pearl said, propelling me towards the door.

“What’s wrong?” I began, trying to dig my heels into the linoleum floor. Useless. “Pearl—!”

The door shut. _Click._ Locked, too.

It was easily 60 degrees on the front porch. I wrapped my scarf around my neck and pulled down the sleeves on my sweater. There was still batter on my fingers. I shook it off, appetite spoiled. It was dark, too, and I could hardly see in front of me. Street lights were on, dim, flickering.

I managed to make my way to the bench on the patio and sit down. The cushions were, cold, too. My stomach was wound up in a knot of confusion and tension. I rubbed my hands together, breathed out, in, out, in, out—

My phone buzzed.

It was Pearl.

**sorry. parents are giving me a bit of the cold shoulder. looks like today's off for dinner.**

Tomorrow we would be back in the dorms, the college routine settling in again. I craned my next to look behind me at the windows. The curtains were drawn. No luck.

Another text appeared:

**I love you. ♥**

I replied:

**love you too. ♥♥**

My stomach eased up a little.

I heard a murmur of noise and through the curtains I saw the flickers of light. Television. It appeared that all hopes of a nice dinner with a guest were forsaken.

It had been going quite well. I guess I was to blame for butchering it.

Pearl had introduced me to her parents as a “friend.” _Girl_ friend, I had thought, but went along with it, seeing the slight narrowing of her mother’s eyes. We had talked amiably about college. I mentioned I was an art major with a minor in ecology, and her father had dropped some line about graduating with three degrees in mathematics, engineering, and chemistry.

Then we had started to work on the cakes and whatnot, baking stuff. Pearl was always showing me her cookbooks. Her parents left the kitchen for something and I had figured I could try to sneak a quick conversation with Pearl about her familial situation, but no dice. It got a little out of hand and I kissed her to stop the conversation.

Of course, then her parents returned.

Cue a small argument and me being thrown out of the house.

Pearl was only trying to save my neck, really. There wasn’t anything either of us could do to alleviate that situation. How annoying.

The door opened a crack. I looked over. Pearl, her form backlit by the lights from inside, looking like an angel. When didn’t she?

“Amethyst?” she asked.

“Here,” I said from my bench.

“There you are,” she said, and shut the door. She sat next to me, shivering slightly. I took off my scarf and wrapped it around her. She smiled gratefully.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“They okay?”

“No.” Pearl sighed. “They’re acting like it didn’t happen. I guess that’s better than being angry. But they won’t say anything to me.”

“Sorry,” I said. “I should’ve been more cautious.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Not yours, either.” I put my arms around her, feeling the goosebumps that ran up and down her bare arms.

“I just wanted to see them again…and now it’s just a disaster…it’s middle school all over again.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. I said nothing, which probably wasn’t the smartest idea.

“Last time they threatened to take me out of school and put me in a private school. Somewhere where I wouldn’t ‘act up.’” Pearl inhaled. “And they didn’t, thank goodness…but I’ve had to keep everything a secret. It’s so tiring after years and years…”

“I’m sorry,” I said again.

Pearl was quiet for a moment. Then, she said, “Amethyst, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“I’m sorry for this turning out the way it did.”

“Hey, if anyone's to blame, it's gonna be me.”

“I’m going to tell them I’m taking you back to the dorms.”

“And come back here?”

“No.” Pearl frowned. “No, I don’t think so. Not for a while. I can’t do this again.”

I couldn’t offer my place to her. I didn’t _have_ a place. My parents were dead, and my grandmother had been moved to a retirement center, supported by my aunts.

“Pearl,” I said. “I want you to be happy.”

“I’m happy with you.” She looked at me. “I’ve spent the last nine years keeping my identity a secret. My parents aren’t going to change. But we can change—together—I mean, once we graduate and all…”

“You mean like, get a place together?”

“Yes. I mean that! And we’d be free to do whatever the hell we wanted.”

I blinked at the last few words. Pearl hardly swore. I said, “If you want to do that, I’ll do it with you. All the way. I’m your girl.”

“Thanks,” she said. The goosebumps were fading. I rubbed her arms  gently, a comforting gesture, I think, for the both of us.

It was still about sixty degrees on the porch, but sitting next to Pearl was like sitting next to a beam of light.

She returned to the house and was gone for several long minutes before coming out with our stuff.

“They said goodnight,” she said, and took my hand as we went down the steps.

I looked back at the house, for what I figured would be the last time. It was a nice house, really. We’d have a house like that one day.

Pearl was quiet as we drove back. The radio was quiet, the classical music streaming from it a soft murmur.

Tomorrow over breakfast Pearl would fret, overthink, tear herself apart…I worried about her when she was upset, too much maybe. But I loved her, yes, I really did. I took her hand as we went back to the dorms and she squeezed our palms together.

I hoped we’d get our happy ending someday.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based on prompt: #5: for some reason, I'm attracted to you
> 
> Happy Halloween! :-)

It was a masquerade ball, of course, where she met Amethyst. A ball where you could hide your true face behind a prettily painted mask, etched with a likeness unlike your own. Pearl went for a generic mask, something that would allow her to blend into the crowds of people. It was, to her surprise, quite difficult to do so. Everyone wanted something to do with someone else.

A quiet corner provided some repose. It was attached to the bar, but Pearl declined the offer of alcohol from the ruddy-faced bartender. She considered taking her mask off, and then decided against it. The bartender brought her a glass of water, and when he spoke, there was a thick cockney accent in his voice.

“Can’t just let a nice lady like yourself sit all alone without some refreshment, like,” he said. “Here’s some water. Nice and cool. On the house, miss, but a tip’s much appreciated.”

Pearl gave him his tip, smiling under her mask, and drank the water. It was cool. Not drugged; the party was a respectable one run by respectable people. It ran like glaciers charging across ancient plains down her throat, a cool refresher.

And then Amethyst sat next to her.

Pearl’s first impression of her was a young woman of about her own age, caught up in the whirlwind of joviality, her hair an unspeakable entanglement of wildness. Her mask was a brilliant purple one, with rhinestones glimmering in the light at the edges. Her eyes were a deep rich brown, sparkling with merriment.

“Hello,” she said, “what’re you doing back in this corner?”

“The party’s a bit much,” said Pearl, swirling the dwindling ice cube about in her glass. “And you?”

“I came to say hello.” Amethyst grinned, the smile lifting up the mask slightly.

“That’s nice of you,” Pearl said and she found herself looking at Amethyst’s eyes again. They seemed to be staring back into her own grey-blue ones. “What’s your name?”

“Amethyst.”

“I’m Pearl.”

Amethyst extended her hand and Pearl shook it, feeling calluses on Amethyst’s palms.

“You like the party?” asked the purple-masked woman.

“Parties are hardly my sort of venue, you could say,” Pearl said. “I prefer quiet get-togethers.”

“The atmosphere makes me feel alive.” Amethyst paused and nodded sagely. “And it is Halloween. A perfect time for big festivals.”

She laughed, her laugh starting loud and fading away to a quiet sort of chuckle. “Ah, we’re too old for trick-or-treating.”

“Age shouldn’t restrict what you do.” Pearl stopped. “Unless it’s an unwise decision in the first place.”

“I like you,” said Amethyst earnestly. “Would you care to come to the gardens? They have great decorations in place.”

“Sure,” said Pearl. “I do enjoy gardens.”

“You’ll love this one.” Amethyst rose and offered her arm to Pearl. “Shall we?”

Pearl took her arm, leaving the glass of water behind. They went through the crowds, Amethyst expertly weaving in and out of clumps of people. They came to a grand back door and a man dressed in a suit opened it for them with a polite nod.

The air outside was another refresher. Few people lingered out there, and Amethyst led Pearl about, pointing out the orange lights and the cleverly trimmed hedges.

“That’s a cat,” she said.

“And there’s a pumpkin,” said Pearl.

“Do you carve pumpkins?” Amethyst asked.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t have the time any longer.” Pearl looked wistfully at the carved pumpkins sitting neatly on the patio, the crooked edges of the carvings denoting a child’s hand. The owners of the house had a young pair of twins.

“You can see the stars already,” said Amethyst. “Hey, a shooting star! Make a wish, Pearl.”

“It’s a meteor,” said Pearl, but she made a wish anyway.

They sat on a bench together, sitting close but not too close, enough to have a comfortable space between them. Amethyst suddenly removed her mask. Pearl’s eyes widened and she was grateful for the mask and the darkness to shroud the blush that crossed her cheeks.

“You look lovely,” she said.

“Thanks,” said Amethyst. She fanned herself. “It was hot in there.”

“Yes,” agreed Pearl.

“You should take off your mask,” Amethyst said. “It’s nice without it.”

Pearl found herself reaching for her mask before Amethyst finished speaking. She hesitated, and then removed it.

“Gosh,” said Amethyst, “you’re beautiful.”

She said it without missing a beat and Pearl found another blush creeping up her cheeks.

“I mean it,” Amethyst insisted. “Why do you wear such a drab mask? You should wear something at least half as beautiful as you are.”

“I don’t like to flaunt.”

Amethyst smiled knowingly. Pearl smiled back, almost sheepish.

“You know,” she said quietly after a moment. “I know we’ve just met but for some reason, I’m attracted to you.”

“That so?” Amethyst’s smile broadened to a grin. “The sentiment can be considered mutual.”

She took a scrap of paper from her pocket, unfolded it, and wrote something on it with a pen also procured from the pocket. She pushed it at Pearl. “My number. Let’s have dinner sometime. Somewhere quiet, probably?”

“That would be lovely.”

Amethyst rose then, slipping her mask back on, then once again offered her arm to Pearl, who, after putting on her mask, gladly accepted it. Together, they reentered the masquerade ball, the slip of paper tucked neatly in Pearl’s handbag.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> don't ask how amethyst got backstage or how she snuck in. it's amethyst. she'll always find a way.
> 
> anyways, pearl is going on for a ballet competition and her girlfriend is there to support her through a small bout of the nerves. i myself am not a dancer, so forgive any errors. (my brother's the big shot in ballet in my family so)

“Dancer #367, you are onstage in ten minutes. This is your ten minute warning,” droned the voice overhead.

“Hey, that’s you!” said Amethyst, nudging Pearl.

Pearl was folded up in something akin to a ball, her knees bumping against her forehead. She unfolded gradually, like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

“It’s gonna be great.” Amethyst took Pearl’s hand. “Trust me, I know dance competitions.”

“Ballet is very different from hiphop, Ame.”

“Competitions are all the same.”

Pearl exhaled very slowly and stood up, her lanky frame taut with nerves. “I know the routine.”

“Yeah you do.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“Uh-huh.”

Pearl began to visibly relax, the tension melting off her muscles like glaciers into the sea. “I’m going to perform well.”

“When haven’t you?” Amethyst grinned. “P, you’re gonna be fine.”

“I always become nervous before these sorts of things! It’s very detrimental to my performance.” Pearl sighed. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m surprised they let me backstage. Guess being your girlfriend comes with some very nice perks, huh?” Amethyst cracked her knuckles. “I’ll always be here for you, you know that, right? Rain or shine and all that.”

A smile blossomed on Pearl’s face. “Thanks.”

The same voice came over the P.A. system. “Five minute warning for dancer #367.”

Pearl stretched out, preparing herself for the next seven minutes. “I’m going to move closer to the stage now. I don’t think they’ll let you come with me.”

“S’all right. I’ll hang here.”

There was a pause, and then Pearl said: “You should have gotten a seat in the audience.”

“I’ve got someone who’ll let me in, don’t worry. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Amethyst checked her watch. “I better get going though.”

Pearl leaned down and kissed Amethyst’s forehead. “Thank you for being so supportive.”

“Like I said,” Amethyst replied, “always.”

Pearl smiled again.

“And,” added Amethyst, “don’t forget that I love you. A whole lot.”

“I love you, too.”

“Now, get out there, P, and blow them away! You’ve got this.”

They parted ways, but at the door Amethyst turned around and saw Pearl had also turned around. She flashed the dancer a grin and a thumbs up before pushing open the door. As she stealthily made her way over to her seat in the back, courtesy of an employee friend, there came claps and cheers.

And three minutes later, the claps and cheers were even louder, with Amethyst providing the most enthusiastic of the noises.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based on this prompt: "Is it cold outside or are you just blushing?"

“Is it cold outside, or are you just blushing?” asked Amethyst, looking up sideways at her girlfriend.

There was an awkward pause on Pearl’s end. Then, at last: “It’s a record low for this time of year.”

“You’re blushing.”

“My cheeks are cold.”

“You’re _blushing_ ,” Amethyst repeated, failing to smother a grin. “Admit it.”

“And so what if I happen to be blushing?” Pearl retorted.

“It’s cute.” Amethyst squeezed Pearl’s hand in her own. “C’mon. You _told_ me to hold your hand because you were cold.”

“It _is_ cold.” Pearl pulled her pale blue scarf up further around her face, muffling her words. “I think the bus is late.”

“You want to snuggle for warmth on the bench?”

Pearl’s face reddened considerably, but there was a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. “No…not in _public…_ ” She cast an eye at the people huddled under the bus stop stone awning.

“Okay, well if not here, then at the apartment, ‘cause they probably haven’t fixed that damn heater yet and warmth is best…uh…shared between two people…” Amethyst trailed off weakly.

“I’m all right with that, but I do hope they fix the heater.”

“You ought to fix it yourself, being a mechanic and all.”

“I fix _cars_ , Ame.”

Amethyst shrugged. “So? Everything’s gotta have at least _something_ in common.”

“I don’t even know how a heater really works.”

There was a faint rumble in the distance and the bus pulled up shortly, the doors opening quickly and with a grand fanfare of squeaks. The riders filed in, paid the fare or swiped cards, and settled down for trips of varying lengths.

Amethyst never let go of Pearl’s hand throughout the whole affair, which complicated things a bit. Pearl sniffed a little when she sat down.

“I just find it kind of funny,” said Amethyst, “that when we hold hands or something like that, you _still_ get all red. We’ve been together a whole year now, and _still._ ”

“What about it?”

“I just find it cute.” Amethyst grinned again. “You’re cute.”

“You are cute, too.”

“Thanks, P.” Amethyst rested her head against Pearl’s shoulder. “I’m gonna take a quick nap. We’ve got like an hour before we get home, right?”

“Fifty seven minutes,” said Pearl, “but close enough.”

Amethyst closed her eyes, mumbled something about heaters, and gradually fell asleep. Pearl looked out the slightly dirty window of the bus, watching the snow-flecked town pass by inch by inch, then down, to where her gloved fingers were intertwined with Amethyst’s bare fingers. She let a smile take over on her face, and resumed her skylarking. Fifty five minutes until home.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based on this request: "P, you can't go to school today. You have a fever."

"P, you can't go to school today. You have a fever," said Amethyst.

“I have to go,” said Pearl, trying to put her coat on. “I have an important study session to attend and an exam in my physics class.”

Amethyst took the coat out of Pearl’s hand. “You are _not_ going to school today.”

“Yes, I am,” said Pearl.

“You are _sick_.”

“Being sick never stopped anyone who wanted to succeed.”

“You have enough credits to graduate this year! Taking a day off won’t kill you, but going to school might.”

“It’s just a fever.” Pearl tried to wrest the jacket away but Amethyst tossed it onto the closest bed. “Amethyst! Give me my jacket so I can go. I don’t want to be late.”

“You write your teachers a nice email about how you’re sick and can’t make it to class and I’m sure they’ll understand. They’re very good people and you’re clearly the smartest person in the class, right?”

“I have the second highest grade in my physics class, so not—”

“I’ll make you soup.”

Pearl’s firmness on the subject wavered slightly. “Don’t burn it.”

“So you’ll have the soup?”

“I’ll take it for lunch.”

Amethyst groaned. “Get in the bed.” She pushed Pearl towards the bed. “For your sake, please, lie down and get some rest or it’ll be a billion times worse tomorrow.”

“A billion is not an appropriate measure of feeling sick—”

“Here’s your laptop,” said Amethyst, handing Pearl the sleek chrome device. “Write those emails.”

Pearl sat down on the edge of the bed, suddenly sagging like a much older person. “I’ve never taken a day off—”

“And now you have! For the first time in your two years at college.” Amethyst hung up the jacket. “Look, you stay here while I’m at class. I have a really short day today so I can come back right away and make sure you’re okay. I’ll make the soup—and I won’t burn it.”

“I just don’t feel right about this…”

“Your health matters more than some silly exam.” Amethyst wrapped a scarf around her neck and kissed Pearl’s forehead. “Now, please, P, take a nap or something. Watch some TV. Drink fluids—that’s what my mom said when I got sick. I’ll get you a Gatorade or something on my way back.”

“You really are too kind—”

“Anything for my girl.” Amethyst grinned. “I gotta go but I’ll be back after two or so. Love you, P.”

Pearl settled herself on the bed. “Love you too. I will take care of myself.”

Amethyst nodded before turning, opening the door, and exiting. As she went, she felt quite proud of herself for once getting Pearl to stay in the dorms to rest instead of rushing out to class. It was quite the achievement in her opinion. Almost a miracle, too.


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You’re hiding under the blanket because you’re blushing?" based on this prompt
> 
> this is just fluffy goopiness. enjoy

"You’re hiding under the blanket because you’re blushing?" Pearl asked, leaning over in an attempt to get a look at Amethyst.

“Yes,” said a muffled voice from under the blanket.

“Why are you hiding?”

“Because,” Amethyst replied, “every time I look at you I start blushing again.”

“Is it because of something I said?” Pearl paused. “All I said was that I think you look very nice in your new form.”

“There you go again.” The blanket dropped for a few seconds and Amethyst peered out from behind the hand-stitched hem to meet Pearl’s eyes. “Thanks, P.”

“You’re welcome,” said Pearl. There was another pause. “Now…can we get back to diagramming this map of the possible entryways to get at the Cluster?”

Amethyst dove back under the blanket, but after a few seconds of wiggling about she stuck her arms out and made a grab at a pencil. The attempt failed. “Hey, could you pass me a pencil?”

Pearl took the edge of the blanket and lifted it up, revealing Amethyst. “Don’t be ridiculous, Amethyst, you’ve got to help with this map.”

The purple gem didn’t answer and instead very swiftly kissed Pearl’s cheek before seizing a pencil and drawing a few trees on the map in rapid, clunky strokes. Pearl remained frozen where she was, her pale face lighting up a soft blue. Then she pulled the blanket over her, too, and stayed there. It was a little too short to cover her entire body so it draped over her head and torso like a half-hearted ghost costume.

“Hey, that’s my blanket,” said Amethyst.

“I am finding it useful right now.”

“We can’t _both_ be under the blanket.”

Pearl gradually removed the cover from herself but upon making eye contact with Amethyst she pulled it right over again. “This is a very irrational behavior,” she said, “but for some reason I’m not able to continue looking at you.”

“It’s okay, P,” said Amethyst, putting a hand on Pearl’s knee, “I’ll draw the map for you now that we’ve switched positions.”

From under the blanket, Pearl said, “Do be careful to make accurate measurements—and don’t spill food or drink on it! It must be very neat.”

“Don’t worry,” said Amethyst, “I got this.”

Famous last words.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> based on the prompt: "I really love holding you, darling.”

"I really love holding you, darling.”

The phrase slipped into Pearl’s subconscious, each word like a drop of water dripping into a still pond.

“Hm?” Pearl replied, partially awaken from her sleep.

“I said,” Amethyst repeated gently, “I really love holding you.”

“Oh.” Pearl turned over, her face inches from Amethyst’s. “Where did this come from?”

She glanced at the clock on the end table. It was a little past two.

“Nowhere, I guess.” Amethyst paused and smiled, a bit drowsily. “I woke up and I saw you and I thought about how much I love you.”

“And holding me?”

“It sounded better in my head.”

Pearl smiled back. “No, it’s a very nice sentiment.”

“You know,” said Amethyst, running her hand down Pearl’s arm. “A year ago I wouldn’t have ever thought this would be possible.”

“A lot happens in a year.”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t think this was ever going to be a thing, either, but here we are.” Pearl made a little noise that sounded like halfway between a laugh and an exhale. “Our own apartment and all.” She yawned and brought a hand up to cover her mouth.

“Sleepy?”

"Yes.”

“Me, too.”

Pearl settled herself into the crook between Amethyst’s head and shoulders and closed her eyes. “I love you.”

Amethyst looked at her girlfriend and smiled again, mostly to herself. “I love you, too.”


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: P, what's that on your head? (Pearlmethyst)
> 
> kid!AU. Pearl and Amethyst are neighbors who live next to a mysterious little forest. one day, Pearl decides to have a nice adventure with Amethyst. fun and fluffy happenings occur!

“P, what's that on your head?” Amethyst asked.

“An adventurer’s hat,” said Pearl. She adjusted it to give it an almost rakish tilt. “I found it in my mom’s attic.”

“Why are you wearing it?”

“Because I would like to have an adventure with you.”

“An adventure? With me?” Amethyst grinned. “In my backyard or yours?”

Pearl leaned a bit further over the fence between them. Little splinters of wood crumbled off the top. “In the forest!” She looked to her right, to where woodlands began. A bird flew out, circled around, and dove back in.

“Right now?”

“Right now.” Pearl disappeared for a moment. Then, her head reappeared and she tossed something over the fence. It landed next to Amethyst’s feet.

“For you!” continued Pearl.

It was another adventurer’s hat. There was a purple star stitched onto the top. Amethyst put it on and grinned again. “Thanks, P.”

“I stitched the star in myself, so we can tell the hats apart,” explained Pearl. “I hope you like it.”

“I love it,” said Amethyst. “C’mon, let’s go have an adventure!”

They met outside the row of backyard, a little out-of-breath from running around their respective houses. Amethyst was chewing on a granola bar. A pair of cheap plastic binoculars bounced against Pearl’s chest.

As they walked, Amethyst asked Pearl, “So what are we going to do on this adventure?”

“Whatever happens, happens,” said Pearl in the most mysterious and wise manner she could. “We will—do whatever happens.”

“Okay,” said Amethyst. She broke a piece off the granola bar and gave it to Pearl. “For…uh…sustenance or whatever.”

“Thank you,” said Pearl. She put the granola bar piece in the front pocket of her oversized jacket. “I have never been into the woods with a companion.”

“How far have you gone inside?”

“To the pond.”

“I went all the way to the stream that leads to the pond!” said Amethyst. “And I even saw _fish._ ”

“We can go fishing!” said Pearl excitedly, stopping abruptly.

Amethyst looked at her friend. “We don’t have any fishing tools, P.”

“We can use a stick,” said Pearl. “And the string from my binoculars. And you’re good at finding bugs and stuff. You find a worm and we can—fish!”

“You’ve been reading those weird encyclopedias again.”

“They are very informative.”

Amethyst sniffed. “Yeah, okay. I think they’re stuffy.”

They continued along for some time, sunlight slanting down from the leaf canopy above and mottling the leaves below their feet with yellow tinting. Then, suddenly, there was a tremendous crashing in the bushes nearby. Pearl jumped and seized Amethyst’s arm, her binoculars flopping again her chest again.

“What was that?” she asked.

“I dunno,” said Amethyst, making a fist with her small hand. “But we can take it, right, P? Us, together?”

“I hope it’s not a wolf.”

“Wolves don’t live in forests like these.” Amethyst glanced at Pearl, who was slowly shuffling behind the former for protection. “You’ve gotta have learned some fighting stuff from those encyclopedias or something.”

“I’m not sure I retained any of that,” said Pearl.

The bushes trembled again. Both of the girls’ eyes grew wide.

A raccoon tumbled out, made a disgruntled noise, and stared at the girls for a second before tearing off deeper into the woods.

Pearl let out an audible sigh.

“That wasn’t too bad,” said Amethyst. “Just a raccoon. I bet we could have taken him if he wanted to fight.”

“It might have had rabies,” said Pearl. “Or numerous other diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans—”

“Okay,” interjected Amethyst, “maybe we _won’t_ fight raccoons.”

“That’s probably best.”

“Yeah.”

There was an awkward moment of silence.

As if breaking a spell, someone’s phone made a loud chiming noise. Both of them jumped.

“My phone,” said Pearl. She dug around in her jacket pockets before finding a small black flipphone. “My mom is telling me to come home for dinner now.”

“But we haven’t even had an adventure!”

“She says I have to come home right now. She’s worried it’s going to get dark fast.” Pearl looked at the sky. “She worries too much.”

Amethyst lightly patted Pearl’s shoulder. “ _You_ worry too much.”

“We should head back.”

Amethyst nodded. “Okay.”

They went back the way they had come, Pearl flitting a little closer to Amethyst this time. When they came within clear sight of the backyard fences, Amethyst turned to Pearl and took off her hat. Her hair stood up wildly, even more so than usual.

“Here,” she said.

“No,” said Pearl, shaking her head, “it’s your adventurer hat. You must keep it with you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Thanks. That’s awesome. I will wear this hat all the time.” Amethyst put it back on.

“Tomorrow,” said Pearl, continuing to walk along, “we will have another adventure. I can find more supplies in the attic.”

“Will we fish tomorrow?”

“Maybe,” said Pearl in that same mysterious and wise air.

“Great,” said Amethyst. She grinned.

They parted ways at the fences, each heading back to their own houses. Pearl paused at the door and looked over to the forest. In the dimming light, it looked positively haunting. She turned the knob and went inside, knowing in the morning it would once again be full of light and wonder.


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearlmethyst- "Wake up Amethyst! Please be ok." (based off this prompt)

"Wake up, Amethyst! Please...be okay," said Pearl, gently shaking the unconscious young woman. "Come on...please..."

Amethyst stirred faintly, her face scrunching up at first before relaxing. "Where--what--what happened?" she asked, slowly opening her eyes. She tried to sit up and winced. Pearl pushed her back down to a resting position. "Ouch," said Amethyst. "Everything hurts."

"I think you better lie still for a while," said Pearl.

"What happened?" Amethyst repeated.

"They stampeded."

"Those big pink buffalo things?" Amethyst asked. At Pearl nod's she added, "Wild. They looked so nice."

"You pushed me out of the way, and got hit by once of the small-ish ones. Still rather large, I must say, for a juvenile--"

"It felt like being hit by a truck back on Earth." Amethyst grinned. "Not that I'm speaking from personal experience or anything."

She struggled to sit up again, this time managing it.

"You sure you're fit to continue?" Pearl asked.

"I'm fine," said Amethyst. "All in a day's work for a someone who looks at planets."

"We are investigating planets for potential bases to be set up," Pearl corrected. "A very honorable position."

"Can you help me up?"

"Sure."

Amethyst nearly dragged Pearl down with her in her efforts to fully rise. Finally they both stood in the middle of a trampled plain, where tufts of pink fuzz still drifted in the breeze.

"Ship is that way," said Pearl, pointing.

"Aren't we gonna explore more or take samples or something?"

"No, I think we've had...enough excitement for one day." Pearl smiled. "And besides, it's getting dark. Tomorrow, I'm sure you'll feel all right and we can keep 'looking around,' as you put it."

Amethyst shrugged and then winced. "My muscles do not like this."

"I'm sure they don't."

They began to walk back towards the ship, Amethyst's arm around Pearl's shoulder for support. It was slow going, but eventually they reached the ramp and crashed in. Amethyst found her way to a cushioned bench and lay down.

"I'm never moving again," she proclaimed.

"Someday you will have to," Pearl replied, locking the door down to the ramp. She approached and sat next to Amethyst. "Thank you, by the way, for saving me back there."

"Well," said Amethyst, "one of us has got to be un-bruised for support, right?"

Pearl blinked at her.

"You're welcome." Amethyst grinned. "Now, I'm gonna just...sleep...okay? Wake me up when there's light outside or food's ready."

Pearl patted Amethyst's shoulder. "Right. Will do. It's important that you rest."

By the time she had crossed the room, a faint succession of snores could be heard from Amethyst's bench. Pearl took a pack of just-add-water meals, pried one from the rest, and set about making a meal for the both of them.


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl and Amethyst get ice cream and have a beach date, because it's really hot out

“It’s so  _ hot _ out here,” Amethyst groaned, fanning herself with Pearl’s wide-brimmed hat. “I think I might melt.”

“You won’t melt,” Pearl said. “It’s only 98 degrees out.”

“Only 98 degrees, she says.” Amethyst grinned, and wiped her forehead. “How about we make a stop at the ice cream parlor before we hit the beach?”

“All right.” Pearl paused a moment at the street corner, and Amethyst seized the opportunity to stand in shade. “Now. Would you like to go to the one on Starfish Street, or...Tidal Boulevard?”

“Which one’s closer?”

“We are on Starfish Street.”

Amethyst perked up. “Great. It’s better there, anyways. I know the way. I think--yeah, okay, we’re going to just walk straight down until--” She pointed at the gaudy awning of a building down the hill. “Yep. That’s it.”

Pearl took her hat out of Amethyst’s hat and adjusted the ribbon tied around it before setting it back on her head. “Lead the way.”

Amethyst intertwined her fingers with Pearl’s as they continued walking. Other pedestrians washed back and forth next to them, some heading to the beach, and others panting up the long slope. The multi-colored awning drew closer until they stood underneath it. Someone exited the shop, and a glorious blast of air conditioning hit them. Amethyst held the door for Pearl, and followed her inside.

The line wasn’t too long, and soon they were at the counter.

“Hi there,” said the cashier. “What would you like?”

“Two scoops of...hm…” Amethyst eyed the board. A variety of options were present, all bearing interesting names like ‘under the palm tree,’ ‘beach ball extravaganza,’ among others. “Sand at high tide. And in a cone.”

“All right.” The cashier turned her smile to Pearl.

“What’s in the ‘fruit volleyball match?’” asked Pearl.

“A whole lot of fruit.” The cashier pulled a small pamphlet out from under the counter  and offered it to her. “Here’s a list of ingredients, if you’d like to see.”

“Thank you.” Pearl glanced over the small chart, before finding ‘fruit volleyball match.’ There were at least a dozen different fruits listed, among vanilla ice cream and a topping of tiny marshmallows.

“The marshmallows are the volleyballs,” Amethyst whispered.

“Ah.” Pearl handed the pamphlet back. “One scoop of that, please, in a cup.”

“Sure thing. Is that all for you two?”

“Yes.”

Pearl paid for their ice creams, and were directed to the ‘pick up here!’ sign. The employee there handed them their ice creams, Pearl’s in a beach-themed blue cup, and Amethyst’s melting off the top of an extravagant waffle cone.

“Love this place,” Amethyst said, licking a drop of melting ice cream off the waffle cone.

“What’s in yours?”

“Okay, see, it’s kinda complicated. There’s a peanut butter-chocolate base, mixed with some vanilla, and there’s caramel ribbons. And  _ on top _ , they dust it with graham cracker crumbs. Like beach sand. You get it?”

“I do. They have a clever way of naming their flavors.” Pearl took her first spoonful of her ice cream. “This is quite exceptional.”

They exited back into the skin-sticking heat. Pearl walked slow, to prevent any hazards while eating, and Amethyst matched her speed with ease, finding it harder to keep up with the rapidly melting ice cream in her hand. They passed a few vendors for handmade crafts, and the ground began to level out as it slunk into the beach’s sands.

A shaded area just off to the side provided the perfect resting spot as they enjoyed the rest of their ice creams. Amethyst offered Pearl some of her ice cream, and then vice versa. The sun was dipping in the sky before they knew it, and bonfires sprang into life across the darkened beach. Amethyst managed to get Pearl to come stand with her in the shallows where the tide just lapped at the sand.

The tide pool proved to be more fascinating.

“You can never be sure if a shell belongs to a crab or not,” Pearl explained, pointing out a few. “When they grow, hermit crabs search out new shells to move into, so they don’t wind up cramping themselves.”

“Smart.”

“I’ve never seen it happen, although I’m sure it’s quite the spectacle.”

The moon crept up over the opposite horizon, and the two young women began the trek back up the hill, holding hands again. A successful day’s outing, in both of their opinions.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by Thelma and Louise, Alice Isn't Dead, and Carol, among other things.

It was Pearl’s idea to take a road trip. The summer was sticky hot, creating a claustrophobic feeling within their house even with all the windows open.

“A road trip?” Amethyst echoed. “What for?”

“To get out,” replied Pearl. “This house is stifling me.”

“Sounds like something I’d say.”

“Well, then wouldn’t you also like to get out?”

It didn’t take long for Amethyst to make up her mind. The next morning they loaded a pair of stuffed suitcases into the trunk of their car, shoved a map--another one of Pearl’s suggestions: go sans technology--in the glove compartment, and headed out. The morning, yet untouched by the heat of the afternoon, felt crisp, a comfortable warm glow against their skin. Amethyst rolled top the convertible top, and let her hair blow back in the wind.

Pearl had blocked out two weeks for them to take their trip. It took a valiant effort from Amethyst to prevent her from scheduling the whole trip down to mealtimes, reassuring her girlfriend that they’d work it out along the way, that road trips were a freeform sort of thing you couldn’t really predict. Pearl capitulated, but not before creating a loose budget for food and souvenirs, and whatever would inevitably strike Amethyst’s fancy.

The first day they drove until their stomachs complained. Amethyst automatically reached for her phone to search up a local restaurant, but Pearl reminded her that this was a tech-free trip. Amethyst put the phone away.

“First place we spot that you like,” Amethyst said, “we’re going. Or I’m gonna tear through all the snacks.”

“All right.”

Pearl picked a semi-clean diner, almost stereotypical in its location off the highway and appearance. Despite that, its menu looked appealing, and Pearl managed to find a suitable vegetarian option. Amethyst selected the antithesis of Pearl’s meal: a meat-and-carbs laden platter of deliciousness. She offered Pearl a piece of the bread; Pearl continued to delicately put forkfuls of salad into her mouth. A solid no.

They returned to the road an hour later. Amethyst pulled a CD from her bag and put it into the appropriate slot. They listened to the mixtape in quiet, Amethyst sleepy from her lunch.

“Ame,” Pearl said. “I’m going to need you to take over for me in a couple of hours.”

“Yeah, sure,” Amethyst said, a hand over her mouth to cover a yawn. “Just wake me up.”

She fell asleep; Pearl rolled the top up to ease her girlfriend’s rest, shaking her head at the sight of Amethyst slouched against the seat, cheek against the glass, breathing slow and steady.

That night they found themselves on a stretch of road between towns--if they were large enough to even be called that--with few others beside them. Amethyst drove now, nap-refreshed, and bobbed her head along to the music. Pearl looked out at the window at the landscape around them.

“Sometimes,” she said, “I forgot how varied and beautiful the outdoors are.”

“We should get out more often then, huh?”

“Yes. We should.”

Eventually they did find a motel, and after Pearl’s thorough investigation of the rooms and mattresses, they booked a room. The owner, just a tad chagrined at Pearl’s inspection, offered them a tight smile with the keys, and said goodnight. Amethyst lugged the suitcases to the room, and they unpacked just what they needed for the night. The bed was small, but they squeezed together.

In the morning, they woke up to the sound of a truck rumbling past, ate a breakfast in the tiny cafeteria on the floor below, and got back into the car. Pearl put her hands on the wheel, turned to Amethyst.

“Any particular direction you’d like to go?” she asked.

Amethyst shrugged. “Anywhere. Just not the way we came.”

“All right,” Pearl said. She pointed the nose of the car out to the horizon, ever expanding before them, and drove.


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl and Amethyst dig up a time capsule, and reflect on their time together.

Pearl peered at Amethyst as she came in, dirt caked under her fingernails and in the creases of her wide palms. “Sweetheart,” she asked, “what did you bury in the garden?”

Amethyst looked up at her, and smiled broadly. “What do you think I buried?”

“I’m not sure.” Pearl pursed her thin lips. “I hope it was nothing _sinister._ ”

“It was a time capsule.”

"A time capsule?”

“And I didn’t bury it. I dug it up.”

“You dug it up?” Pearl blinked, memory coming back. “Where is it?”

Amethyst opened her jacket, and pulled a small tin container from the inside pocket. Dirt and grit still clung to its surface, and Pearl balked a moment before taking it from her wife.

“This must be quite old by now,” she said.

“Twenty-five years old.” Amethyst removed a gold ring from another pocket, and slid it over the ring finger of her left hand. “You remember that day, don’t you?”

"Yes,” Pearl said, running her fingertips over the lid of the box. “I remember.”

* * *

The wedding ceremony had been on a Saturday, early in the morning. Sunday evening, after they had sorted through a pile of wedding presents, and Pearl had compiled a neat list of who to send thank-you letters to, Amethyst came up to her, and held out a shiny tin box.

“I have an idea,” she said, with the glint in her eyes that told Pearl she had been struck by the muse of ingenuity.

“Of what sort?” Pearl asked, rising on her long legs.

“Let’s put some of the stuff from today and yesterday in this box. And some other things—photographs, and mementos—all _kinds_ of little trinkets. It’ll be a—a time capsule.”

“A time capsule? Do people still do those?”

“Sure!” Amethyst nodded. “I think it’ll be fun. We can dig it up in, say, twenty, twenty-five years. Look back at these memories, and maybe even put it back with some new stuff.”

“Hmm.” Pearl thought, and after a stretch, said: “All right. Let’s make a time capsule.”

They put in photographs from their reception, and from when they had been dating—almost four years’ worth of pictures—and found miscellaneous trinkets pulled from Pearl’s old apartment and Amethyst’s room in her family’s house. A pin, from a pride parade two years ago. A piece of seaglass from a trip to the coast. A lucky coin. And more.

It was pitch dark outside but Pearl held a flashlight as Amethyst shoveled out a little hole at the edge of their cramped backyard.

“Ame,” she said, “what if we move?”

Amethyst paused, foot on the shovel, and shrugged. “I dunno.”

“It’s almost like an investment on the place.”

“Hey, don’t get worked up about it,” Amethyst said, putting a hand on her shoulder. It was warm from work. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it! No sweat.”

“Right.” Pearl took a deep breath. “The future is a terrifying concept.”

"Tell me about it,” Amethyst said. “I mean, who will we be in twenty-five years?”

* * *

They looked through the photographs on the couch, Pearl rubbing out a twinge in Amethyst’s back that had flared up.

“Look at us,” Amethyst said, pointing to a picture of them in front of an old-time ice cream vendor stall. “We’re so— _ouch,_ that’s _tender_ —cute.”

“We were quite the young couple,” Pearl mused.

“You still have this sundress, don’t you?”

“I do. I wonder if it still fits.”

Amethyst took out the seaglass, turquoise and smooth, and held it up. “This thing’s almost three decades old.”

“Possibly older,” Pearl said, “since it came from a glass bottle in the ocean, and the process of creating seaglass is quite…lengthy.”

“Huh.”

“Ame,” Pearl asked quietly and suddenly, “do you miss the past?”

"Oh, P.” She cricked her neck around and smiled, lines deepening at the corners of her eyes. “I’d love to be young again. But we’re not. I mean, hello, I’ve got back pain! And, y’know what—I don’t mind. Because I’ve gotten the chance to grow old with _you._ And I wouldn’t trade that for being a youngling any time.”

Pearl returned the smile. “Me, too.”

Long into the evening, they reminisced through the tin box. And, in the morning, they replenished its contents, and Pearl, wearing knee pads and gloves, put the container back into the ground as Amethyst watched, holding a parasol over her wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...this is the end. I've decided to stop writing for the time being--although maybe not forever--after almost three years of crafting flash-fiction stories for you all to read. I love Pearl and Amethyst, and I'll miss doing this, but it's that time in my life where I need to take a break. 
> 
> I hope you have enjoyed this journey as much as I have.
> 
> If you want to get in contact with me, here's my [Tumblr account](http://frijolepequito.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
